Why is it important to give to Saint Louis University?
Excellence requires resources. Saint Louis University is a unique institution. Saint Louis University is a first-rate, nationally recognized academic institution. But it’s more than that. It’s a faith-based institution that’s founded on values that are more than 500 years old as a Jesuit institution, and certainly more than 2,000 years old as a Catholic, Christian institution. But in order to stay viable, we need resources to provide quality education and research opportunities. For example, Saint Louis University is blessed to have an endowment in excess of $908 million. Notre Dame has an endowment in excess of $2 billion. Harvard has an endowment in excess of $30 billion. If need was the reason people gave, Harvard wouldn’t receive any more money. But if the truth be known, Harvard raises more money than any school annually. Why? Because people invest in excellence. Saint Louis University is an excellent investment.

Why is it important that a greater percentage of alumni give back to SLU?
Participation in the University provides us with feedback on how well we educate and prepare leaders for the future. Certainly, the million-dollar gift from the 60-year-old donor is a grace. But the $15 gift from the first-year graduate is a grace as well. It tells us that they understand that they are part of the leadership of the institution, and will be for the rest of their lives. We need their money, but more importantly, we need their ideas, their energy and their leadership.

How do gifts have an impact on the University? How is the money used to make a difference at SLU?
Excellence. Gifts are used to ensure excellence at the University. Philanthropic dollars are not used to turn light bulbs on. Philanthropic dollars are sources of revenue that allow professors to do the special things that will make the class more compelling and interesting. The donations that we receive are utilized to ensure that every kid has the opportunity to attend SLU if they have the ability. It’s the scholarship dollars that attract the very best who may come from the most modest backgrounds. It’s the revenue that allows us to enhance the structure to make it a more attractive, welcoming environment. It’s important for people to understand that when people give money to SLU that SLU then has the power to do those extra things to make us a special institution. It’s freedom to take chances. It’s freedom to be innovative in education.

How is the Chaifetz Arena fundraising going? And why did we break ground on the project before all the funds were raised for it?
We talked about the Chaifetz Arena for a decade before we did anything. We talked about the arena for so long and so often that we lost credibility. We found that people were unwilling to invest in us because we didn’t have the credibility that we were actually going to do it. It was a conscious decision to break ground before the fundraising was done to have a concrete demonstration that we are, in fact, going to build Chaifetz Arena.

We’re pleased with the progress we’re making. We open the doors in March 2008, and we’re confident (by that time) we will raise the funds that are necessary. As Chaifetz Arena comes out of the ground, it will become increasingly easier because people will not only have the proof that it’s going to happen, but they’ll also have the vision of the magnificent facility that is going to open on campus.

There have been some major gifts in the past year — $30 million from the Doisy family for the Research Center and $12 million from Richard Chaifetz for the arena. Most alumni can’t even give a fraction of that. So what do you say to the majority of alumni concerning gifts?

(He gets up from his desk and takes a framed Bible verse off the wall.)

What I say to them is Mark: Chapter 12, Verses 41 to 44. (It describes the story of the poor widow who cast two mites into the treasury as Jesus watched. A number of rich people also donated a lot of money to the treasury. But Jesus told his disciples that the widow donated the most because she gave all she had.) The widow’s mite. We ask no one to give more than they can. We ask everyone to give their fair share. Look around. Think if everyone did their fair share what a power Saint Louis University would be for good and for education and for the Church, not only in the country but in the world. We appreciate the leadership gifts; we appreciate the sacrifice that the big donors make. But we appreciate every gift, we truly do.

—Nick Sargent