Saint Martin’s benefactors met the Saint Martin’s Abbey endowment matching gift challenge with 59 donors collectively raising $5 million in support of current and future students. In September 2021, the Abbey committed a $4.6 million matching fund to double gifts that increased Saint Martin’s University’s endowment. The response from donors was tremendous and the Abbey generously increased their gift by $400,000 to a total of $5 million in December 2021. The collective gifts from the Abbey and 59 donors will add $10 million to Saint Martin’s University's endowment over time.
Abbot Marion Nguyen, O.S.B., Saint Martin’s University chancellor, shared, “The purpose of the matching gift was to highlight the generosity of so many individuals who have sustained us, while simultaneously inviting others to join us in this inspiring work who share our mission of creating disciples for Christ through education and formation of virtues in young people.”
Matching gifts were made possible by 59 donors, some who supported more than one endowment; 25 new endowments were established; 19 gifts were committed to grow existing endowment funds; and over $700,000 was raised in recognition of the retirements of Abbot Neal Roth, O.S.B. and President Roy F. Heynderickx, Ph.D.
In May, Saint Martin's University publicly announced its first comprehensive campaign, For Every Saint: The Campaign for Saint Martin’s Abbey and University. The $100 million For Every Saint campaign reflects the university’s commitment to bringing together “people, place and purpose” to serve and promote the common good. Funds raised through this campaign will help the university 1) enhance academic excellence and innovative program development, with particular attention to attracting and retaining diverse and dedicated faculty; 2) construct, and create through renovation, modern facilities that promote community and bolster student learning and development; and 3) dramatically increase scholarships and holistic support for our undergraduate and graduate students.
Participating in the Abbey’s endowment match and the For Every Saint Campaign, Ian ’14 and Claire Bamman established a scholarship endowment to support military veterans and their families pursuing degrees at Saint Martin’s. "The support I received from Saint Martin's University when I was stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord was instrumental in me completing my undergraduate degree,” shared Bamman. “When I read about the For Every Saint campaign and the Abbey matching gift, I felt compelled to give back to the institution that helped me achieve a lifelong dream."
Creating an endowment carries forward the legacy of the donor to current and future generations of students and helps strengthen the mission of educating students at Saint Martin’s University into the future. An endowment is a fund created to support various needs in perpetuity of the University, often student scholarships or academic programs. The total amount of the gift is invested and only the earnings are spent on the purpose designated by the donor.
Bernie Determan-Griffin '82 found the Abbey’s match to be a perfect time to share her plans for leaving a legacy with Saint Martin’s. By confirming her estate gift with the university, her future gift to create a scholarship endowment will be matched by the Abbey’s gift and also support the efforts of the For Every Saint campaign. “Saint Martin’s provided me with the foundation upon which I built my life. I would not be the person I am today without the formative years I spent at my beloved alma mater. By including Saint Martin’s in my estate plans, I am able to give back to the University that gave me so much,” stated Determan-Griffin.
To learn more about how you can help continue the legacy of Saint Martin’s Abbey and University and participate in For Every Saint: The Campaign for Saint Martin’s Abbey and University, please visit www.stmartin.edu/foreverysaint or call 360-438-4366.
Saint Martin’s University is an independent coeducational university, with undergraduate and graduate offerings, located on a wooded campus of more than 300 acres in Lacey, Washington. Established in 1895 by the Catholic Order of Saint Benedict, the University is one of 13 Benedictine colleges and universities in the United States and Canada, and the only one west of the Rocky Mountains. Saint Martin’s University prepares students for successful lives through its 29 majors, 11 master’s programs, one doctorate program, and seven certificate programs spanning the arts and sciences, business, counseling, education, engineering, nursing, and leadership. Saint Martin’s welcomes more than 1,300 undergraduate students and 250 graduate students from many ethnic and religious backgrounds to its Lacey campus, and more students to its extended campus located at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
For additional information:
Katie Wojke
Interim Vice President, Institutional Advancement
kwojke@stmartin.edu
Nate Peters
Senior Director of Development
npeters@stmartin.edu
Jocelyn Bonilla
Marketing and Social Media Manager
jbonilla@stmartin.edu
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