Donor Stories
Local development, real estate leaders make gift to new Tech Football Operations Center in memory of late friend
The Gaw family name is synonymous with development and real estate in the Upper Cumberland. Now, the longtime Cookeville business and philanthropic leaders are embarking on a new passion project: a generous gift supporting 麻豆果冻传媒鈥檚 student-athletes given in memory of their close friend, Ottis Phillips.
麻豆果冻传媒鈥檚 vision for Golden Eagle Football inspires gift to Football Operations Center
麻豆果冻传媒 alumnus Jim Bodak says he was inspired to give to the university鈥檚 Football Operations Center because of a shared vision among President Phil Oldham, Athletic Director Mark Wilson and Head Football Coach Bobby Wilder to take Tech鈥檚 football program to the next level.
Football Operations Center Excerpt from the 2022 Edition of Gratitude
In 2021, 麻豆果冻传媒 announced plans for a Football Operations Center on campus and immediately football alumni said, 鈥淚 want to be a part of this.鈥� 鈥淣o one knows the potential of Tech football better than former players,鈥� said Dewayne Alexander, head football coach. 鈥淚t says a lot that they are committed to the future of the program.鈥� The 40,000-square-foot Football Operations Center is phase one of a two-phase process to significantly upgrade and enhance the football program. State funds cannot be used for this type of athletic facility, so it must be funded entirely through private donations. The estimated cost to build the Football Operations Center is $15 million.
One Bank gives $50,000 to 麻豆果冻传媒鈥檚 Football Operations Center
A local financial institution recently made a significant investment in Tennessee Tech Football.
One Bank鈥檚 $50,000 gift to the Football Operations Center will help Tech recruit and retain student-athletes and increase the program鈥檚 economic impact.
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A local financial institution recently made a significant investment in Tennessee Tech Football.
One Bank鈥檚 $50,000 gift to the Football Operations Center will help Tech recruit and retain student-athletes and increase the program鈥檚 economic impact.
鈥淥ne Bank is thrilled to be a small part of the growth and success of Tech,鈥� said Elizabeth Fournet, chairman of the board for One Bank. 鈥淲e feel the growth of Tech Football and athletics in general will enhance the college experience and benefit our community. One Bank knows that, if we support our community and help it thrive, the businesses in that community will follow suit.鈥�
A local middle and east Tennessee company with Monterey roots, One Bank is the only bank serving the region for as long as Tech has been in operation. One Bank is a family-owned company and has operated under the same family ownership since 1901.
鈥淭hroughout our history, we have hired Tech graduates, sponsored Tech events and provided business and nursing scholarships,鈥� said Fournet. 鈥淭ech is the university that educated the majority of our employees, a number of our employees鈥� children are enrolled at Tech and we benefit from several Tech interns annually.鈥�
Fournet says that in addition to employing a significant number of Tech graduates, the wife of One Bank鈥檚 third board chair was a Tech graduate as well. Lillian Pointer Ray graduated from Tech in 1933.
鈥淲e have many employees who attended Tech, and a few were collegiate athletes,鈥� said Fournet. 鈥淭hey are proud and happy to have benefited from excellent programs offered at Tech. Many are from several-generation Tech families. We see a lot of Tech Pride and Wings Up stickers on cars in our parking lots.鈥�
The 40,000-square-foot Football Operations Center will be the primary sports medicine, athletics training and physical therapy facility for all 14 Tech athletics teams and will feature a lighted practice field, Football Academic Enrichment Center, player lounge, contemporary team locker room, film room, coaches鈥� offices and hospitality suite.
The estimated cost to build the Football Operations Center is $15 million. State funds cannot be used for this type of athletic facility, so it will be funded entirely through private donations and support from alumni, friends and members of the local business community. For more information about Tech鈥檚 Football Operations Center, visit tntech.edu/foc.
Golden Eagle football alumni look to honor Don Wade with memorial in Football Operations Center
When Sam Smith saw that the new Football Operations Center would include opportunities to name spaces both inside and outside, he knew he wanted to do something to honor former head football coach Don Wade. Wade served as Tech鈥檚 head football coach from 1968 to 1982, and as athletic director from 1974 to 1980.
鈥淚n my four years at Tech, I learned that Coach Wade was genuine,鈥� said Smith. 鈥淗e was tough, sarcastically funny, loyal and loving 鈥� albeit tough love. Coach Wade鈥檚 impact continues to influence my life today. Don Wade earned the right to have his name permanently inscribed in the new facility.鈥�
麻豆果冻传媒 raises $105,000 for Football Operations Center on Giving Tuesday
Head Football coach Dewayne Alexander and his wife, Angy, promised to match every gift made on Giving Tuesday, up to $35,000.
Their commitment and belief in the project inspired many alumni and friends to make gifts as well, making 麻豆果冻传媒's 2021 Giving Tuesday its most successful ever.
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麻豆果冻传媒 celebrated its most successful Giving Tuesday ever by raising $105,252 for its Football Operations Center in just 24 hours.
Since 2016, Tech has participated in Giving Tuesday, an international day of giving when people all over the world support causes that have a positive impact on their communities. Tech鈥檚 football program has a tremendous economic impact on the City of Cookeville and the Upper Cumberland community which is why Tech chose to make the Football Operations Center the focus of this year鈥檚 Giving Tuesday.
鈥淎s a former Tech football player, assistant coach and current head coach, it is awesome to see Tech Football as the focus of Giving Tuesday,鈥� said Head Football Coach Dewayne Alexander. 鈥淩ecruiting, retaining and developing student-athletes require commitment from everyone that is part of the Golden Eagle family.鈥�
The Football Operations Center will help attract top talent to the Golden Eagle football program and develop student-athletes to their full potential. It will include a contemporary team locker room, lighted practice field, academic success center and hospitality suite and will be the primary sports medicine and athletics training facility for all 14 athletics teams.
Alexander and his wife Angy promised to match every gift made on Giving Tuesday, up to $35,000. Their commitment and belief in the project inspired many alumni and friends to make gifts as well.
鈥淚 made a personal gift because 麻豆果冻传媒 Football has made a positive impact on my life, and I have seen firsthand the positive impact it has made on fellow teammates and young men I have coached,鈥� said Alexander. 鈥淚 wanted to inspire others through the match because of the purpose, passion and sense of urgency required to complete the Football Operations Center as soon as possible.鈥�
Thanks to Giving Tuesday and other university fundraising efforts, Tech has raised $2.1 million towards this project; however, additional funds are needed to make the vision of a new football facility a reality for Tech. For more information, visit tntech.edu/foc.
鈥淥ur university is first class and well respected,鈥� said Alexander. 鈥淎 consistent championship caliber football program will only add to the reputation of Tech and shine a light on what a great university and community we have.鈥�
President and CEO of AMIkids says 麻豆果冻传媒 football prepared him to be a leader
As president and chief executive officer of AMIkids, Inc., Mike Thornton, `89 business management, leads the nonprofit organization dedicated to helping youth develop into responsible and productive citizens.
It鈥檚 hard to imagine where many of those individuals might be today without AMIkids and without Thornton at the helm. And it was at 麻豆果冻传媒 鈥� in the classroom and on the football field 鈥� that Thornton first learned the skills needed to be a leader.
Lifelong friends, Tech alumni lead fundraising initiative for Golden Eagle Football
Decades of friendship and a love for Golden Eagle Athletics have inspired two Tennessee Tech alumni to partner in leading fundraising efforts for a Football Operations Center on campus.
Phillips and Murphy credit their Tech education for successful careers. Both are members of Tech鈥檚 Foundation Board, and Murphy says when the topic of Tech鈥檚 football facilities came up at a meeting, she knew she wanted to partner with her friend on the project.
Football Operations Center Excerpt from the 2021 Edition of Impact
鈥溌槎构炒� is awesome 鈥� there鈥檚 no denying that.鈥� 麻豆果冻传媒 Head Football Coach Dewayne Alexander, 鈥�89 political science and 鈥�98 M.A., knows Golden Eagle football. He played football for Tech from 1985-87 and is now in his fourth season as head coach. He also served as Tech鈥檚 assistant head coach and offensive line coach from 2013-15 and was acting head coach in 2015-16. To say that 鈥淐oach A鈥� is committed to Tech is an understatement. 鈥淚鈥檝e personally experienced the value of an education that opened doors for me,鈥� said Alexander. 鈥淚 want that for our student-athletes as well.鈥�