Bear Foundation members “Rise Up” in record-breaking support of student-athletes

Three months ago, we recognized the 3,000 or so members of the Baylor Bear Foundation who annually support BU by donating current scholarship funds for our student-athletes, thus helping provide an education for these students, competitive teams for our coaches and a relief to the university budget (since this money no longer has to come from the general budget).

We also challenged you, Baylor Nation, to step forward and join your fellow Bears — and boy, did you respond. Final numbers for the 2009-10 fiscal year show that the Bear Foundation registered its sixth consecutive record-breaking year for fundraising, as annual giving, endowment interest and sky box revenues contributed more than $6.5 million for scholarship support of Baylor’s 19 intercollegiate athletic programs. In six years, annual giving has increased from $2.565 million to more than $4.5 million — an increase of more than 75 percent!

As we look ahead, such support — financial in this case, but covering other areas such as game attendance, too — is exactly what Baylor needs if we wish to maintain our spot among the nation’s elite athletic conferences. The theme for Baylor football this year is “Rise Up” (the first TV commercial was released just this week); that mantra applies to not only the team on the field, but us on the sidelines, as well. We, the Baylor family, need to rise up as Baylor Nation in support of our university and our students (including but not limited to our student-athletes). Let’s show the world what Baylor is all about!

Sic ’em, Baylor Nation!