After a massive year of recognition for UTA Athletics, the university takes its fundraising efforts to another level.
The 2023-24 year was historic for the Athletics department, but sights are set higher this year. Ira Childress, senior associate athletics director for development, said athletics fundraising is currently 200% ahead of where it was a year ago, setting pace for another record-breaking year.
“It starts with great alignment,” Childress said. “When you have alignment, everybody’s on the same page. That’s good. The second thing that’s important for the success that we’ve had, is we have great people.”
In his second year in the role, Childress is the man behind the scenes. In collaboration with Athletics director Jon Fagg, Childress and the department have set a foundation for UTA Athletics going forward.
Both Childress and Fagg have experience at large Southeastern Conference universities and implement that competitive mentality at UTA.
“Ira is incredibly intelligent, incredibly driven, has incredible vision and does such a wonderful job representing us, the Athletics department, the university in general,” Fagg said.
In the 2023-24 year, the department raised the most money in school history. This meant a 95% increase in total dollars raised, the most gifts over $25,000 ever in a year and the largest unrestricted gift in program history.
Childress’ whiteboard has notes that read, “Do it better than it’s ever been done before” and “Run from being good. Chase being great.”
With UTA being a mid-major university, challenges can arise when looking for large donations to fulfill fundraising goals. Every day, Childress works to find creative ways to reach out to potential donors.
“You win with people, in this business,” Childress said. “That’s something that resonates with me every day because we have a great team of people who’s pulling the rope in the same direction.”
Fundraising success at this level can influence the performance of student-athletes. Last November, UTA Athletics announced its first fueling station in the Gilstrap Athletic Center at Maverick Stadium designed to enhance performance.
“A lot of mid-major schools like us don’t necessarily get a chance to have resources like this, but because of our great donors and unbelievable people, we’re able to do that,” Childress said. “Our student athletes recognize that and, equally important, our coaches recognize that.”
Jim Quick, distinguished university professor emeritus, said it’s important to invest in the university and its student athletes.
Quick, member of Maverick Club, called the community a “great home base.”
Maverick Club provides its members with exclusive access to men’s and women’s basketball games throughout the season and many other perks. Last September, UTA Athletics announced a revamped version of the club, wanting to enhance members’ experience and continue the momentum to improve athletics programs.
“A key thing is camaraderie,” Quick said. “Seeing people from across the community and within the university that we wouldn’t otherwise see.”
Aside from the benefits of being a Maverick Club member, he said he enjoys the satisfaction that comes with seeing continued excellence.
Quick said he feels there’s two marks of excellence within universities: academics and athletics.
“I don’t think you can have one without the other, long-term,” he said.
Childress said he thinks the “sky’s the limit,” and UTA Athletics has much to look forward to, including a nationally televised game as the school aims to break College Park Center’s attendance record Feb. 22. The game will air on ESPNU.
“Once it’s all said and done, we’re going to be one of the premier programs in the country for schools of our size,” he said.
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