During the second UTHSC Family Campaign, Security Officer Veronica Jones had a goal to share her love for the university and for giving back.
Jones served as a campaign captain for the Campus Police Department, tasked with inspiring her colleagues in the department and across the university to make a gift of any size and in any area important to them as a show of pride and support for UTHSC’s mission.
“UTHSC is a great place to work. I have worked here for over 16 years, and I love being a part of the change that helps students get a great education and a new career,” she said. “One of my Department’s missions is to serve the campus and community, and I love to give back to my workplace, which cares about the students and the needs of the staff and faculty.”
Jones worked closely with Jennifer Edwards, campaign captain for Facilities Administration, and Security Officer Sadie Nelms to raise funds from 80 of the 626 total donors who gave during the monthlong campaign. The campaign not only exceeded its original goal of 600 donors, but it also surpassed the number of givers in the first Family Campaign in February, which had 620 donors and a goal of 500.
UTHSC’s second Family Campaign kicked off September 1 and ran through the month. The campaign’s purpose is to encourage a culture of philanthropy among the UTHSC family – the faculty and staff – to benefit the students and the whole university.
In a video announcing the campaign’s success, Chancellor Peter Buckley, MD, thanked the employees who donated. “Your generosity really makes a difference. It’s a statement of commitment about our organization, about our direction, and about our vision: Healthy Tennesseans. Thriving Communities,” he said. “Through the Family Campaign, the annual UTHSC Giving Day, and other fundraising efforts, philanthropy at UTHSC continues to gain momentum, allowing us to persistently build on our successes.”
According to Brigitte Grant, vice chancellor for Advancement, gifts from the faculty and staff help enlist support from those outside the university. “The passion of our employees is a powerful statement to our community,” she said. “It says a great deal that our employees support the university through their personal giving. We have a strong culture of philanthropy, and we can all be proud.”
The Family Campaign captains were:
- Becky Mayall, DDS, College of Dentistry.
- John Cox, PhD, College of Graduate Health Sciences.
- Ashley Harkrider, PhD; Neale Chumbler, PhD; Anne Zachry, PhD; and Barry Dale, DPT, PhD, College of Health Professions.
- Andrea Malkin, JD, College of Medicine.
- Rachel George and Tracy McClinton, DNP, College of Nursing.
- Chris Wood, PharmD, College of Pharmacy.
- Liz Hall, PharmD, Office of Academic, Faculty and Student Affairs.
- Veronica Jones, Campus Police Department.
- Jennifer Edwards, Facilities Administration.
- McKenzie Scofield, Office of Communications and Marketing.
- Chandra Alston, EdD, Office of Human Resources.
- Michael Alston, EdD, Office of Equity and Diversity.
- Valerie Wheeler, Department of Information Technology Services.
If you would like to tell the story of why you give, send an email to impact@uthsc.edu. Your perspective on giving inspires others and confirms the belief in our work and mission.