Penn Sport_Spring08.indd - University of Penn Athletics

Dear Friends,We have just finished another exciting year with some outstanding academicand athletic achievements, capped by the historic run of ourwomen’s lacrosse team. Much of our energies have been dominatedby the Campaign for Penn Athletics, which has been aptly named “TheTime is Now.” The Campaign kick-off event at Homecoming was a culmination ofmany years of planning, organizing, and lobbying so that Penn Athletics can maximizethis special opportunity. You are probably aware that we are going to raisemore than $100M to fortify our position as one of the most comprehensive athleticsand recreation programs in the country.There are many ways our friends can participate in this venture, and engage orre-engage with Penn Athletics. Obviously, a campaign of this magnitude requiresphilanthropy in ways never seen before. To date, many individuals have embracedour plans for endowment, annual giving and capital projects as we have alreadyraised more than $70M. On behalf of our student-athletes—past, present andfuture—THANK YOU! There are, of course, other ways to get involved and participate. If you are interested in joiningour Sport Boards, the support groups for our intercollegiate teams, and working with the coaches of your favoriteteams, contact the Athletic Development Office at 215-898-4717. We have begun a career mentoring program thathas generated a great deal of excitement. More information on the program is available on the opposite page. Ifyou want to learn more about special initiatives or other specifics of our campaign, visit PennAthletics.com and clickon “The Campaign for Athletics.” You will also be able to follow our progress in creating new and refurbished facilitiesthrough our website.As Athletic Director, I spend much of my time visiting and speaking to our friends and alumni. It will come as nosurprise to know that they are not bashful in voicing their feelings, suggestions and concerns. I spend some partof every day thinking about or working on the elements of this campaign because I know what a difference it willmake. I often muse on what University leaders were contemplating a century ago when the bold decisions to buildthe Palestra and Franklin Field were made. Could they have imagined the impact these facilities would have onPenn, the city and the nation? I truly believe that what we are doing now, while not quite as dramatic, will impact thelives of students at Penn for decades to come and fortify our strength as one of the world’s leading institutions.Thank you for your interest and participation. I look forward to sharing with you our progress in the year ahead.Best Regards,Steve Bilsky