Make a Gift
Why give?
Every gift matters.
The College of Media benefits from the generosity of alumni and friends who, like you, share in a commitment to excellence in communications. To hire and retain the best faculty, provide the highest quality resources and attract the brightest and most talented students, the College continues to need your support.
With state funding decreasing from one budget year to the next, your support helps ensure the educational mission of the College is achieved and its standards of excellence are maintained.
One of the greatest challenges to any college is to increase the participation of alumni who give back, and it is widely accepted that alumni financial support is an indicator of alumni satisfaction with their education. Satisfaction leads to greater regard and visibility for the program, which helps attract high-quality students and faculty.
Gifts from alumni and friends quickly add up, and every gift — no matter what size — makes a difference!
Ways to give
College of Media Annual Fund
Each year many alumni and friends express their loyalty and interest in the people and programs of the College of Media by making a donation. The primary purpose of the College of Media Annual Fund is to raise unrestricted funds for College programs. These gifts are often the only source of discretionary funds available to the dean and department heads to respond to unforeseen opportunities and needs.
Gifts to the Annual Fund support projects and needs such as the following:
- job placement services
- lab assistants
- lecturers and scholars who visit our classrooms and interact with students
- networking events that connect students and alumni and promote alumni relations
- scholarships for deserving students
- upgrades in technology, facilities and other resources vital to education and research
Gifts to the College have a direct and immediate impact on the quality of a communications student's education. Gifts help the College and its programs thrive and allow the College to react quickly to the needs of its students. Annual support is critical to maintain the educational tradition of affordable excellence the College has provided through the years.
Endowments
You can help secure the infrastructure of the College through an endowment, which supports faculty, students and academic programs in perpetuity. As named funds, they also are legacies to your generosity or to whomever you wish to honor. The principal of the fund is not used; the endowment provides a steady source of funds based on the interest income it generates.
Securities or properties
The College of Media welcomes gifts of common stocks, bonds, mutual funds, other appreciated securities or property, all of which can managed or liquidated so the proceeds enable you to benefit the College.
Matching gifts
Don't forget to check with your employer to see if there is a matching gift program where you work. It could double or triple the size — and the impact — of your gift, and you get credit for the entire amount.
Deferred gifts
Careful planning can integrate a deferred charitable gift into your overall financial, tax and estate objectives to maximize the benefits for you and the College. Following are examples of the kinds of deferred gifts through which you can make a lasting impact:
- bequests
- charitable trusts and annuities
- pooled income funds
- retained life estates
- retirements accounts
- life insurance
How to give
Consider the effect the College of Media has had on your life and career, and please make a gift today.
Donate online through the University of Illinois Foundation at www.giving.uiuc.edu/.
Contribute by mail, phone or credit card. Call the UIF Stewardship Services at 217-333-0675 or mail your check to:
- University of Illinois Foundation
1305 W. Green St.
Urbana, IL 61802
If you have questions or would like to discuss donation options, please contact:
- Michelle Wellens
Assistant Dean for Development
College of Media
217-333-2350
mwellens@illinois.edu - Walt Harrington
Interim Dean
College of Media
217-333-2350
wharring@illinois.edu