Since a lot of folks seem to be throwing cash at good old MU rah rah these days, I thought I would toss this topic out there for the masses since it is slow around here:
Say you walk away with $30 million from the lottery after taxes (amazing because you didn't even know you had a ticket right?), does Marquette get a piece of the action, if so how much?
Follow-up questions, does your donation come with any strings attached? What part of the University gets your money?
I struggle with that question (on a much smaller scale, of course.)
I have 5-6 pet charities that I give to annually, and of them all, MU has the largest endowment by a large factor. Taking for example, my high school, who perhaps is endowed by a few million bucks. They certainly have a greater need than MU, and have a much smaller base to draw donations from. You give to MU, and they throw it on the pile along with the $400 (?) million other dollars they have invested.
Now, sure, if you had millions to give away, small organizations perhaps couldn't absorb and utilize the funds to make large impacts, like MU could. Until I win the lottery, I guess I don't need to worry about that.
Since we are talking fantasy land here, this is what I'd do:
$20 million donation to tear down McCormick Hall and build a new dorm on the same site. (I'm pretty certain I could scratch by on the remaining $10 mil)
Strings:
1. 4 mid-court, courtside seats for life
2. bring back the Warrior nickname (oh wait, I guess someone tried that already)
It might be time for a new round of academic facilities, so I'd throw down $10 million or so towards a new Arts and Sciences building. Lalumiere is and has always been a dump. Not once did I have a class there in a room with a sensible dispersal of windows.
And of course I would add the stipulation that I would at least get decent seats for basketball.
They can have a percentage of what is left when I die.
I think I would endow a few scholarships from my Jesuit high school to Marquette (in the names of some of my friends), as well as give Father O'Brien some cash for the Les Aspin center (Marquette has a great rep in the DC area and it is because of him).
The only thing I would ask is for seats in the lower bowl and official gold vest for all my crew!
enough to shut down Wisconsin Avenue!
Marquette would get nothing. There was very little support from the College of Business Admin, so they can get nothing. My high school would get millions.
I'd donate money to start a PhD program in political science and create a special scholarship fund for political science students.
We could use more statesmen, but sure don't need more politicians. I'd gift MU megabucks so they could get a basketball coach and return to the Warriors.
Sir Lawerence if you're donating $20 mil to tear down McCormick, my entire prize of $30 mil goes to keep it up.
In all actuality, I would probably give $10 of the $30 mil to MU. With the following sitpulations.
1) Of course I would require courtside seats.
2) I have rights to open an on campus bar called The Avalanche somewhere beneath the Campus Towne Apts.
This might require my donation to exceed $10 mil but I would at least put the chip on the table.
Since the Communication school has been fortunate enough to have the Diedreich (sp?) provide that stunningly enormous gift, I think I would probably give $5M to the student-run media activities (MUTV, WMUR and the Trib) to have a budget that takes care of things that could also contribute to scholarship funds for the people who are department managers at those various organizations.
I also would probably provide another $5M to start a pizzeria/bar that combined the great taste of Giuli's and the beer slides of the Avalanche.
And yes, I'd like premium lower-level seats. They don't have to be front row, but they have to be out of the corners.
If I walked away with $30m from the lotto, it would be easy....
1) I'd give $3m to Marquette to use in any way they choose and would ask for decent basketball seats
2) I'd give $2m to the WGA/Evans Scholars
3) I'd give $1m to Misericordia
That sums up my donation plan if that day were to ever come