The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
T-Association & Longhorn Foundation launch Longhorns for Life program
04.18.2014 | Longhorn Foundation
New program encourages letterwinner participation to help continue the legacy of Texas Athletics for future generations
In 2014, the T-Association and Longhorn Foundation launched the Longhorns for Life program to encourage former student-athletes and letterwinners to pass on the legacy of excellence to future generations. The Longhorns for Life program allows former letterwinners to make a gift and know it will directly impact their sport by giving to the scholarship endowment or the operating budget fund. The ultimate goals of the program are to increase the percentage of letterwinners who give back to UT Athletics and make each sport self-sustaining.
Scholarship endowment
Texas Athletics is committed to offering each of its 20 sports programs the maximum number of athletic scholarships permitted by the NCAA. The 260.2 scholarships Texas Athletics fulfills each year provide the opportunity for our student-athletes to meet the academic and athletic demands placed upon them while representing The University. Current endowed funds annually provide Texas Athletics with a steady revenue source of $1.2 million in spendable income towards the $9.35 million needed to fully fund all scholarships. Funding an endowment gift allows letterwinners to have a lasting impact on Texas Athletics. At the same time, scholarship endowments assist Texas Athletics by providing a stable source of income that is used to offset the expenses associated with educating student-athletes. These gifts benefit our student-athletes, and create a legacy that will support Texas Athletics now and in perpetuity.
Operating Budget Fund
The second philanthropic option is to contribute to an operating budget fund. This fund pays for academic and student services, sports medicine, travel, equipment, nutrition and strength and conditioning.
By securing endowments for both scholarships and operating budgets for all sports, Texas Athletics is seeking to make each individual team self-supporting to ensure the continued excellence of each of our sports.
Letterwinner participation
Each academic year, the T-Assocation and Longhorn Foundation will host a competition by tracking each sport's letterwinner participation percentage. The sport with the highest annual participation will be recognized in a special way by Texas Athletics.
Letterwinners play a valuable role in the Texas Athletics' community. Their success stories illustrate how contributions to the Longhorn Foundation are essential. Each former student-athlete is a reflection of the impact those donations have in changing the world. The T-Association, Longhorn Foundation and Texas Athletics will implement the Longhorns for Life program to encourage letterwinner participation by contributing directly to their sport through an athletics scholarship endowment or operating budget fund. Increased letterwinner participation is a step toward becoming the preeminent student-athlete alumni association in the country and will ultimately continue the legacy of Texas Athletics for years to come.
Longhorn Foundation members are the team behind the team as they support more than 500 student-athletes competing in 20 varsity sports. Annual, capital and endowment gifts enable UT Athletics to operate in a fiscally responsible manner while providing a premier student-athlet experience. Gifts to the Longhorn Foundation equips student-athletes with resources to help them succeed academically and athletically. Student Services support includes: academic centers and highly trained advisers and counselors; health care facilities and providers in sports medicine who work to prevent, and care for, injuries; first-class nutrition and strength and conditioning supervisors; and personal and career development programming to help shape the students into young citizens fully prepared for the work force upon graduation. Letterwinners know first hand the importance of these valuable resources on student-athlete development. Additionally, strong letterwinner support ensures Texas Athletics is able to provide necessary equipment and facilities upgrades — important resources that enable each sport to continue to compete at the highest level.
All financial contributions as a part of the Longhorns for Life program are 100 percent tax deductible. For more information or to make a gift, please contact the T-Assocation at LonghornsforLife@athletics.utexas.edu or 512-471-6864.