SMSU Athletics

Athletic Endowments

Endowments
The Southwest Minnesota State University Athletics Department awards scholarships to approximately 350 student-athletes. These scholarships, which help cover tuition, fees, room and board cost SMSU $16,186 annually.  Since SMSU student-athlete scholarships are helped funded through generous gifts from passionate and loyal alumni and friends.  

Generous contributions from friends and alumni are relied upon to meet our scholarship funding.  Currently interest generated from endowed funds from athletics annually support the SMSU Athletics Department with a revenue source for operating budgets, scholarships and facility upgrades.

The need for private support will continue to grow as the cost of higher education escalates in both dollar terms and as a percentage of overall SMSU athletic expenses.

The Power of an Endowment
Endowed funds provide stable, long-term financial support for the Southwest Minnesota State University Athletics Department.  Unlike athletics operations revenue (such as ticket sales) or contributions for seating/parking priorities, gifts to endowed funds are invested to protect the investment so that over a long term the funs will fulfill the donors' specified purposes.  The amount made available to SMSU athletics continues to accure, providing crucial scholarship support for future Mustang student-athletes.

Endowed scholarships may be established with a minimumn gift or pledge of at least $10,000 through a single gift or through installments pledged over a period of time mutally agreed upon by the donor and the SMSU Foundation Office. 

****Donors also have the opportunity to continue to fund their endowed scholarship after the original commitment is fulfilled as the income available for scholarships will increase with the value of the endowment. SMSU Athletics is grateful for the support of alumni and friends who have demonstrated their pride in the athletic and academic success of all our student-athletes by establishing named, endowed scholarships, while also forever linking their name with the proud tradition that is Mustang Athletics.

****A $10,000 endowment will average a $500 scholarship annually.

Endowment Level Approximate Income Available (5% of three-year average) Type of Scholarship Funded

The Cost of SMSU Excellence
While all gifts are welcome and appreciated, the scholarship endowment program allows donors to have a lasting impact of Mustang Athletics.  These gifts directly benefit student-athletes to aid in their education now and in the future.

Total Annual Scholarship Cost for SMSU Student-Athletes (2015-16): $16,408
    -Tution & Fees: $8,062
    -Room & Board: $7,146
    -Books & Supplies: $1,200
    -Total: $16,408

Ways to Establish a Scholarship Endowment
• Individuals can make a gift to the scholarship endowment program through a variety of means:
    -Outright gift
    -Corporate matching gifts
    -Bequest in a will or trust
    -Gift of life insurance
    -Charitable remainder trust, charitable lead trust, gift annuity or other life income gift
    -Creative combination of the above

Southwest Minnesota State University Athletic Endowments
•Athletic Scholarship Endowment
•RA Colvin Scholarship Endowment
•Tammy Sterzinger Memorial Scholarship
•Glenn Mattke Scholarship
•Mustang Booster Club Scholarship
•Ken & Gwen Mukomela Scholarship
•Dick Bragg Family Endowed Scholarship
•Orian & Sue Muecke Endowed Scholarship (football)
•Warren & Ardella Quarnstrom Endowed Scholarship
•Jerry Marquardt Memorial Scholarship
•Memorial Football Scholarship
•Bronco Scholarship (wheelchair basketball)
•Wrestling Talent Grant
•Captain Dan Spirit Award (wrestling)
•Mike Sterner Wrestling Endowment
•Carmen DeKoster Scholarship (women's basketball)
•Hugh Curtler Scholarship (tennis)
•Chub Weatherly (women's golf)
•Andy Wiersma (men's basketball)
•SMSU volleyball (volleyball)
•SMSU soccer
•SMSU softball
•SMSU baseball