Funding Priorities
The School of Medicine Annual Fund – Building a Legacy
If you would like to talk with someone about the Annual Fund, contact:
Erin Dancer
Phone: 804-828-4800 or 800-332-8813
E-mail: eldancer@vcu.edu
The foremost goal of the fund is to encourage the greatest number of alumni and friends to participate, at any gift level, every year.
The Annual Fund is the only vehicle for unrestricted giving to immediate needs in the School of Medicine. Gifts to this fund support key initiatives and are apportioned at the discretion of the Dean of the medical school. This year, gifts of all sizes will combine and 100 percent of the fund will be used to create Aesculapian Scholarships, which are scholarships used to recruit top incoming students as well as to reward current students who demonstrate outstanding merit.
Limiting tuition increases and increasing financial aid are important parts of the Dean's strategy to make a medical education more affordable for our students.
There are two donor recognition groups within the Annual Fund:
Additional information about the Annual Fund:
- Benefits of Becoming a Member
- A Gift Well Spent—Annual Fund Allocations
- Who benefits from my gift?
- Frequently asked questions
The Society of Aesculapius
Founded in 1989 and named for the Greco-Roman God of Medicine, the Society recognizes those who support the unrestricted needs of the medical school at the leadership level.
| Society Levels | |
|---|---|
| Dean’s Club | $10,000 and above |
| Distinguished Fellow | $5,000–$9,999 |
| Senior Fellow | $2,500–$4,999 |
| Fellow | $1,000–$2,499 |
The Augustus L. Warner Club
Established in 1998, the Augustus L. Warner Club was created to memorialize the first dean of MCV and one of our founding fathers. The School of Medicine’s first Professor of Surgery and Professor of Surgical Anatomy, Dr. Warner was remembered as “having done more to shape the course of the College than anyone else.”
We invite young alumni to become a Warner Club Member and enable aspiring students to follow Dr. Warner’s lead.
| the Warner Club | |
|---|---|
| recognizing M.D. graduates of the last 9 years who make yearly* gifts totaling: | |
| 1-5 years out | $120 or $10 each month |
| 6 years out | $240 or $20 each month |
| 7 years out | $480 or $40 each month |
| 8 years out | $720 or $60 each month |
| 9 years out | $960 or $80 each month |
* The medical school's fiscal year runs from July 1 through June 30.
Benefits of Becoming a member
Aesculapian Fellows and Warner Club members are
- Listed in the school’s honor roll of donors in the Gifts at Work publication each fall
- Removed from the regular cycle of phonathons and direct mail in the year the gift is made
A Gift Well Spent—Annual Fund Allocations
Student scholarships have always been a top priority of Dean Dr. Jerry Strauss. This year, 100 percent of the Annual Fund will be used to fund Aesculapian Scholarships—recruitment scholarships to top incoming students as well as to current students with outstanding merit and financial need.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Annual Fund
- Why should I give to the Annual Fund? I would rather not make an unrestricted gift. I like giving to a specific scholarship or project.
For yearly gifts below $10,000, your gift will have the greatest impact if it is designated for the Annual Fund because the full amount of the gift can be expended immediately for the benefit of the school and its students. - Where is my money going?
Each year, the Dean apportions the Annual Fund in support of key needs in the school. The average debt of those who have debt - 90 perecent of the Class of 2011 - was $156,849, making scholarships the most critical need at the medical school. This year, 100 percent of the Annual Fund will be used in support of student scholarships. Every year, the number of Aesculapian Scholarships awarded depends directly on the number and size of gifts to the School of Medicine Annual Fund.
