Oct. 7, 2015 
Dear Loyal Member of R Fund,
Thank you for being a part of this historic time in Rutgers Athletics!
The Rutgers Athletics community had a record-breaking 9,165 donors and a 22 percent increase in annual operating support last year. We asked you to invest in our programs and our student-athletes, and you answered.
Our student-athletes also stepped up last year with a cumulative GPA of 3.04. More than 190 Rutgers student-athletes were named Academic All-Big Ten® honorees and one of our exceptional student-athletes became the first from Rutgers to receive first-team Academic All-America honors. Additionally, 158 student-athletes were named to the Dean's List and 24 student-athletes competed with a perfect 4.0 GPA. None of this would have been possible without your support.
Your investment in Rutgers Athletics directly impacts our 600-plus student-athletes' ability to compete on and off the field. R Fund ensures that our student-athletes have a best-in-class experience by providing them with the academic services and scholarship support they need to succeed.
While we had many great moments this year, we still have a lot of work to do to make sure we can compete successfully in the Big Ten. As we encounter new challenges in providing the best opportunities for our student-athletes, we are grateful for your support.
Your annual gifts are critical every year, but they are especially crucial this year in light of recent changes made by the NCAA. In January, the Power 5 conferences (ACC, B10, B12, PAC12, and SEC) voted to expand athletic scholarships to include an athlete's full "cost of attendance." The vote redefines an athletic scholarship to include not only tuition, room and board, books, and fees, but also the incidental costs of attending college. That means a scholarship will now include a cost-of-attendance allowance for transportation and other personal expenses.
What does this mean for Rutgers?
We must raise the necessary private funding to cover the additional $1 million cost-of-attendance allowance. All gifts made to the R Scholarship Fund help offset the costs for scholarships and cost of attendance. Your gifts to R Scholarship Fund support all 24 of our Big Ten programs and will help us remain competitive with our peers. Click here to review the 2015-2016 R Fund membership guide and discover how you can make an impact.
As you look to renew your gift this year, please consider the following priorities:
» R SCHOLARSHIP FUND (formerly the Student-Athlete Scholarship Fund), which provides financial aid to student-athletes in all 24 Rutgers sports programs.
» BIG TEN CHAMPIONS FUND, which allows you to support the sports program(s) of your choice.
» RUTGERS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, which equips student-athletes with the skills necessary to achieve success during college and after they graduate by providing opportunities for career, academic, and personal development.
» BIG TEN BUILD FUND, which addresses the need for both new and enhanced facilities.
Rutgers Athletics is creating a championship culture that instills pride and passion in our student-athletes, fans, and community. Together, we will build a winning tradition and help our student-athletes and teams reach their full potential.
Please help by renewing your support today.
Go RU!
Sarah Baumgartner
Senior Associate Athletic Director and Chief Development Officer
