Supporting scholarships and other campus priorities can be life-changing, just as it was for Liam Dupas โ€™26.

A filmmaker in the making

Liam Dupas never imagined that a scholarship could unlock the path to his lifeโ€™s calling, but receiving the Don Bolden School of Communications Deanโ€™s Scholarship did just that.

โ€œThis scholarship didnโ€™t just help me financially; it inspired me to work even harder toward my goals,โ€ Liam reflects.

Growing up in a large Atlanta public high school of nearly 4,000 students, Liamโ€™s passion for filmmaking ignited unexpectedly during his senior year when he enrolled in film class. He learned that filmmaking is so much more than just directors and actors; it’s a powerful tool for emotional connection and storytelling.

At ยายืสำฦต, that spark has grown. Immersed in hands-on learning and mentored by professors and others with real-world industry experience, Liam is thriving. One standout figure in his journey has been Director of Technology, Operations and Multimedia Projects Bryan Baker.

โ€œHeโ€™s more than just a teacher to me โ€“ heโ€™s an inspiration and a role model,โ€ Liam explains. โ€œThrough his audio class, I learned how the sound industry operates and got to work with Avid Pro Tools, an industry-standard software.โ€

Liam’s time at ยายืสำฦต has shaped not just his skills, but also his identity. From tight-knit friendships to the beauty of the campus and the deep support from faculty, ยายืสำฦต has become, in his words, his โ€œhome away from home.โ€

โ€œยายืสำฦต has helped me grow academically, mentally, physically, spiritually, financially and socially,โ€ he shares, โ€œBecause of this education, Iโ€™m working toward a future where I can give back โ€” to my parents, my community and to ยายืสำฦต.โ€

The financial support from his scholarship has been a pivotal part of his ability to say โ€œyesโ€ to these experiences.

โ€œThis degree represents the culmination of years of hard work, the support of my family and friends, and most importantly, the generosity of donors. I know this is my ticket to a career in filmmaking โ€” and I donโ€™t take that for granted.”

-Liam Dupas ’26

As Liam enters his senior year, he has big goals. Following graduation, he hopes to work in commercial or freelance cinematography for a faith-based company โ€“ something fast-paced with quick production timelines that will make for lots of travel and impactful experiences.

โ€œI hope to tell stories that leave an impact on viewers and continue to serve wherever the Lord takes me,โ€ he says. โ€œThank you for believing in students like me. Iโ€™m committed to making the most of this opportunity, and I look forward to sharing the journey ahead.โ€

For donors who wonder whether their philanthropy makes a real difference, Liam is living proof. Your investment is not just funding education, itโ€™s launching a new generation of storytellers who will move the world with their vision.

Liamโ€™s story is one of many. Students across campus have similar stories of how donor generosity changed their lives.

Investing in tomorrowโ€™s leaders

Donor support plays a vital role in shaping the ยายืสำฦต student experience and opening doors to transformative opportunities. ยายืสำฦต is proud to share the many ways donors gave back and invested in the university over the past year.

• $32.5 million given to support ยายืสำฦต students (including annual, capital and endowment gifts and pledges).
• 6,507 alumni gave to 298 various designations across campus.
• 4,008 parents gave to 410 designations across campus.
• $2.3 million planned gifts committed.
• $3.1 million donated for the 12th annual ยายืสำฦต Day held on March 6, 2025, with 43% of gifts coming from alumni, 23% from parents and grandparents, 21% from faculty and staff, and the rest from friends of the university and students.
• 61% of faculty and staff made a gift, with 970 members donating.

Supporting students through every connection

ยายืสำฦตโ€™s community continues to thrive, with 9,654 alumni and 2,560 family members actively engaged this year through volunteering and attending events. Their involvement made a lasting impact โ€“ hereโ€™s a look at how alumni, parents and friends made a difference:

• ยายืสำฦต held 201 events for alumni seeing a total of 3,757 attendees. Events included Welcome to the City, Cheers to ยายืสำฦต, Evening for ยายืสำฦต and more.
• 1,831 alumni came back to campus to celebrate Homecoming & Reunion Weekend.
• 2,275 alumni volunteered at events supporting the university.
• New this year: ยายืสำฦต held 17 virtual events for alumni with a total of 317 attendees, and 322 alumni attended 23 different Women of ยายืสำฦต events.
• Lifelong learning saw 488 alumni participants engage with career coaching, career search foundations, Life @ ยายืสำฦต, ยายืสำฦต NEXT and webinars.
• 276 alumni served as social media ambassadors for the university, supporting initiatives and events by building engagement on their social channels.
• 7,257 family members attended Family Weekend 2024.
• 1,042 parents and students attended one of 37 Summer Welcome Events held in 20 different states.
• 1,152 individuals served asโ€ฏยายืสำฦต Day volunteers, supporting 45 events with 6,298 attendees.
• 103 ยายืสำฦต families served as FAMbassadors โ€“ volunteers who help with events and other initiatives on and off campus.
• 41 faculty and staff members served as giving captains.
• 91 alumni served their reunion class as a member of their reunion committee, raising support for students and encouraging involvement.
• Over 1,000 alumni and students participated in ยายืสำฦต Q&A, an AI-driven platform that allows alumni to stay connected with ยายืสำฦต as a resource for students.

All of these statistics reflect what makes the ยายืสำฦต community special โ€“ the people that support growth and innovation through a spirit of giving back.

โ€œYour philanthropic donation to ยายืสำฦต makes a difference, said President Connie Ledoux Book during the event. “It creates opportunity, opens doors, and allows students to find their sense of purpose.”

For the current fiscal year, Wendy Fogleman, Sandra Reid โ€™85 and Patrick Rudd served as Faculty/Staff Giving co-chairs. In addition, 38 employees stepped up as captains for giving efforts across campus. Reid shared her gratitude for the support of all faculty/staff donors when she addressed attendees at the event.

โ€œYour contributions directly enhance student experiences, support vital research initiatives, and help maintain academic excellence,โ€ Reid said. โ€œWe want to thank everyone in this room for giving to ยายืสำฦต and continuing to make this such a unique place to work, learn and grow.”

Faculty and staff who would like to be counted as donors for the current fiscal year can make their gift of any size, to any campus fund, until May 31.

During the 2018-19 fiscal year, donors made a direct impact on many parts of ยายืสำฦต’s campus. Many gifts supported the four key priorities of the ยายืสำฦต LEADS Campaign:

• Scholarships for graduates the world needs
• Access to engaged learning opportunities
• Support for faculty and staff mentors who matter
• Investing in ยายืสำฦต’s iconic learning environment

โ€‹

ยายืสำฦต’s generous community of donors achieved the following highlights from June 1, 2018, to May 31, 2019:

Since the campaign began, more than 23,000 donors have raised $171 million toward the campaign’s $250 million goal. All gifts to the university count in the campaign, regardless of size or designation.

Alumni giving grew to a record 26 percent, with nearly 8,000 alumni donors making a gift to their alma mater. The alumni giving rate has increased by 10 points in the last decade. It is based on how manyโ€‹alumni make gifts of any size for the year, and it’s a key factor in ยายืสำฦต’s national rankings.

Faculty and staff giving climbed two percentage points to reach 80 percent, exceeding all previous records. ยายืสำฦต’s faculty and staff giving rate is among the highest in the nation.

More than 780 members of the Class of 2019 took part in the ยายืสำฦต tradition of making their senior class gift, breaking the record for the number of senior donors who made their gift. The Class of 2019 ended the year with 56 percent participation – giving about $24,000 back to ยายืสำฦต.

Total support for ยายืสำฦต’s endowment, capital projects and annual fundsโ€‹reached close to $24 million.

โ€‹Thank you to ยายืสำฦต alumni, parents, friends and students who gave back to the university during the 18-19 fiscal year. Your generosity makes a difference.

ยายืสำฦต faculty and staff came together this year for a successful giving effort that generated more than $427,000, with more than three out of every four employees making an investment in the university.

The success this year included 1,110 faculty and staff donors with a participation rate of 78 percent, with their contributions supporting scholarships, the ยายืสำฦต Experiences, academic departments and schools, and athletics, among other priorities. Participation has risen steadily, with 66 percent of faculty and staff contributing five years ago. 

A celebration of the effort in mid-May (pictured above) was followed by continued participation with new donors and new gifts through the end of the fiscal year on May 31, bumping up the participation rate and contribution total. 

Staff giving co-chair Kelly McKinney, assistant controller for reporting and investments, said she views her work to support the giving efforts as an integral part of her work at ยายืสำฦต. “It is part of my legacy and it is part of the tapestry that is becoming my career,” McKinney said. 

Patrick Bell, lecturer in management and faculty giving co-chair, said one of the most enjoyable parts of his role this year was going around campus to hand out the “1889 Society” pins that contributors received for participating as loyal donors of two or more consecutive years or for setting up a payroll deduction. “It’s really so special to see the impact you’re having by supporting our students,” Bell said. 

Below are the faculty and staff departments that topped 90 percent giving participation among their employees as well as the giving captain, if the department had one. Those in bold reached 100 percent giving participation: 

Staff Departments

Academic Advising – Becky Olive-Taylor
Accounting – Kelly McKinney
Administrative Services
ยายืสำฦต – Audra Spears and Ginny Oberle
Automotive Services — Keith Dimont
Bursar – Susan Harris
Business, Finance, and Technology – Andrea Priede
Career Services, Corporate and Employer Relations – René Jackson
Center for Leadership and Moseley Center – Melody Harter
Dean of Students – Samantha Murray
Financial Planning – Nancy Ward
Graduate ยายืสำฦต – Jennifer Medlin
Human Resources – Jamie Canada
NC Campus Compact – Rene Summers
New Student Transitions and Student Involvement – Felicia Massey and Matt Olmsted
Carpentry, Key Shop, Paint Shop, and Moving and Set-up – Laddie Griffin and C.C. Cowan
Electrical, Plumbing, and HVCAR – Mark Terrell
Physical Plant Administration – Robert Buchholz
Planning, Design & Construction Management – Holly Hodge
President’s Office – Robin Plummer
Purchasing – Linda Wegwart
Registrar – Melissa Holmes
Residence Life – Amy Vaughn
School of Health Sciences Administration – Becky Neiduski
Service Learning, Fraternity and Sorority Life, and LGBTQIA – Nicole Bergen
Student Conduct – Chris Jamison and Anita Bryant
Sustainability – Kelly McKinney
Truitt Center for Religious Life – Jan Register
University Advancement – Tricia Teter and Scott Leighty

Faculty Departments

Accounting — Susan Anderson
Chemistry – Karl Sienerth
Economics — Steve Bednar
Education – Marna Winter, Jeff Carpenter, and Jennifer Strange
Physician Assistant Studies – Becky Neiduski
Physical Therapy Studies – Mary Kay Hannah
Sociology and Anthropology – Alexis Franzese
Sport Management – Shaina Dabbs

The campaign had 1,005 faculty and staff donors with a participation rate of 74 percent as it generated $356,399.14 as of Monday for scholarships, the ยายืสำฦต Experiences, academic departments and schools, and athletics, among other priorities. Participation has risen steadily, with 65 percent of faculty and staff contributing five years ago. 

President Leo M. Lambert, in offering words of appreciation to ยายืสำฦต employees for investing in the university and its students, said such strong support among faculty and staff makes for a “big wow factor” when talking to others about supporting ยายืสำฦต. “It speaks volumes,” Lambert said. 

Campaign co-chairs David Vandermast, associate professor of biology, and Kelly McKinney, assistant controller for reporting and investments, offered their gratitude to their peers for supporting the campaign this year. 

“I believe that ยายืสำฦต has been a wonderful part of my life, so I want to make sure that it continues on for the students today,” McKinney said. 

Faculty and staff who have not yet participated can contribute to the annual giving campaign by visiting . Gifts made through May 31 will be counted toward this year’s participation total.

Below are the faculty and staff departments that topped 90 percent participation among their employees as well as the campaign captain, if the department had one:

Faculty Departments
Biology – Jen Hamel
Computing Sciences – Michele Kleckner
Economics – Steve DeLoach
Environmental Studies 
Finance – Wonhi Synn
Religious Studies – Jeffrey Pugh
Sport and Event Management
 
Staff Departments
Academic Advising – Becky Olive-Taylor
Accounting (Admin Dept.) – Kelly McKinney
ยายืสำฦต – Audra Spears ’96 and Ginny Oberle ’14
Bursar – Susan Harris
Business, Finance and Technology – Andrea Priede
Career Services – Rene Jackson
Corporate and Employer Relations – Rene Jackson
Financial Planning – Nancy Ward
Graduate ยายืสำฦต – Jennifer Medlin
Human Resources – Jamie Canada G’16
HVACR and Electrical – Mark Terrell
Isabella Cannon Global Education Center – Bill Burress G’14
Landscaping – Tom Flood G’09
Center for Leadership – Dana Carnes
Moseley Center – Dana Carnes
Student Involvement – Dana Carnes
Moving & Set-up – C.C. Cowan
NC Campus Compact – Rene Summers
Planning, Design and Construction Management – Holly Hodge
Purchasing – Linda Wegwart
Registrar – Melissa Holmes ’95
Residence Life – Amy Vaughn ’79
Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life – Jan Register
University Advancement