SWOSU Kicks Off Athletic Fundraising Campaign

July 7, 2006

WEATHERFORD –Southwestern Oklahoma State’s athletic program has announced plans for a fundraising campaign designed to help enhance the school’s NCAA Division II athletic program.

A mailing is scheduled to go out later this month to current and potential supporters of the athletic program, which included a membership brochure and giving profile.

The annual fundraising campaign as well as endowments, capital gifts, and sport specific gifts will be categorized as part of the new overall SWOSU Athletic Association. The group, formerly known as the Bulldog Booster Club, has undergone a formal name change along with overhauling its bylaws and procedures in the recent months.

"We have discovered that we need to communicate our fundraising message in a manner that is consistent with the goals of our athletic department and the university," Cecil Perkins, SWOSU director of athletics, said.

One of the key items of business for the SWOSU Athletic Association has been the employment of former Bulldog football player and Weatherford native Rouben Tourian as the school’s primary athletic fundraiser. Tourian began his duties officially on July 1 as the school’s new assistant athletic director in charge of external affairs.

"There still remains a lot of untapped resources for the SWOSU athletic program. “Many people have come forward over the recent months and have expressed a desire to assist us,” Tourian said. “We must continue to help the current student-athletes that are here and create even more opportunities for the ones yet to come".

The SWOSU Athletic Association includes eight membership club levels based on the annual financial contribution of the donor and/or its business. Individual memberships begin at $50 for the Bronze Level and go up to $3,000 for a Platinum Corporate Level. Each level brings specific benefits for the its members including but not limited to golf shirts, season tickets, outdoor signage, invitations to special events and reserved athletic event parking.

"The importance of athletic fundraising continues to grow as we meet the increasing financial needs of the department as an NCAA Division II school," Perkins said. "Our hope is that this effort will allow us to significantly increase our athletics budgets as we provide more programs and support systems for the student-athletes at Southwestern."

Information about the SWOSU Athletic association is available by contacting Tourian at 580-774-7497 or by logging onto www.swosu.edu/athletics/