Kent State alumni committed $11.51 million in donations for the university in 2015, but how much of that money benefits the regional campuses?

According to the 2014/2015 Financial Report those contributions made by the alumni took up 38.6 percent of the almost $30 million committed. Kent State directs the donations based on where the donor wants it to go.  

“That is what drives us; that we are donor directed,” said Karen Fettig, director of Advancement at the Kent State Stark campus. “If a donor called any advancement office and wanted to make a donation to a specific campus, they would be able to help you.”

In the past, many students who attended a regional campus would complete a certain amount of semesters and then move on to the main campus to finish their degree. However, with the rapid growth of options at Kent State’s regional campuses, many students can complete their entire degree without having to enroll at the main campus.

With the growth of these institutions, a question of how much alumni donate to these campuses comes to mind.  

“When the regional campuses were founded in the ‘60s through about the late ‘90s, the only degrees they awarded were associates,” said Matt Butts, executive director of Regional Campus Advancement.  

In the past, Butts said, many students would do a ‘two plus two’ option, where they would compete their first two years at a regional campus and then finish at the Kent campus. Now, students are able to complete all their coursework for their degree at a regional campus. 

“It is really more based on where our alumni passion lies,” Butts said. “A person could have taken half of their classes at(t Kent State Salem (campus) and feel that that was the most inspirational part of their life. On the other hand, it may have been when they came to Kent (State) that’s where the inspirational part of their life was.” said, Butts.  

Butts said that there are also donors that donate to both a regional campus and the main campus. Where the donation goes is dependent on what that person wants.  

Caleigh Marten is an administrative reporter for The Kent Stater. Contact her at [email protected].