For the second year in a row, Georgia Southern University set a record for private fundraising, according to figures from the last fiscal year.

Total cash, pledges and in-kind gifts to Georgia Southern amounted to $22,363,915 during Fiscal Year ‘22, which ended on June 30, 2022. That surpasses the total from the previous year, which was also a record at $17.8 million. The previous record was $16.2 million raised in fiscal year 2019.

The Georgia Southern Athletic Foundation, in conjunction with the Department of Athletics, significantly helped the university’s overall total with its own record-setting fundraising numbers for the 2021-2022 fiscal year. The Georgia Southern Athletic Foundation raised a record $10.6 million in new pledges and gifts.

“This record of private fundraising is a tremendous validation of what we have accomplished over the last few years and of our vision for the future of the university,” said Georgia Southern University President Kyle Marrero. “I’m incredibly thankful to our donors for fueling the transformational power of education in Southeast Georgia.” The average gift amount last year was $2,623, an increase from the 2021 average of $1,783. University alumni – 2,839 of them – contributed $8.9 million of that total.

Marrero said much of the credit for the success should go to the Athletic Foundation Board Chair Leonard Bevill and the GS Foundation Board Chair Mike Sanders.

“Mike and Leonard share our bold vision for Georgia Southern’s future and their efforts are instrumental in helping us realize that vision, illustrated by the outcomes we have achieved this year,” Marrero said. “We simply cannot accomplish our goals without tireless volunteers like Mike and Leonard.”