Letter from the AD
Community Involvement Begins Right Here
Community outreach is a vital component of Northeastern Athletics. Often we think of this as a charge for our student-athletes, because community involvement is a critical part of the student-athlete experience.
It’s important in shaping the lives of our student-athletes by exposing them to character-building and life-changing experiences through volunteerism. It’s important in fostering strong relationships between the surrounding neighborhoods and the University as a whole. And it’s important as a matter of pride to give back to the communities that support us in so many ways.
Our community reaches far and wide, but for some, a gap exists between interest and involvement. In large part, the disconnect lies in where to begin. Support comes in many ways. The University is doing its part to support Athletics. Now, its time for those of you who are not actively involved to reflect on whether you are doing your part, and to find ways to strengthen your support.
How are great communities built? In the case of NU Athletics, our community must be built one student-athlete at a time, one family at a time, one fan at a time.
If you have an interest in Northeastern Athletics, you are part of a group sharing a common set of goals. The central interest for each of us is the success of our student-athletes and our teams. Whether you’re the diehard fan who makes it to every game, the parents who travel to every away game to support their NU student, or the faculty who guide our student-athletes toward academic success, it’s important to recognize that involvement in the Northeastern Athletics community has a multiplying effect, making collective efforts worth far more than the sum of their parts.
My goal is to move the Athletics program forward in bold and dramatic ways. We must provide a first-class student-athlete experience. We must improve facilities. We must improve attendance and enhance the atmosphere surrounding our games. We must increase revenue from our annual fund, from special events, corporate sponsorship, and merchandise sales. And we must improve the operations and recruiting budgets by raising between $500,000 and $800,000 in operational budgets for our teams.
Our expectations are high, and our initiatives are challenging. Still, these critical efforts are precisely what we need to advance to the next level. We must elevate the visibility of Northeastern Athletics and to do that we need you. So what are the ways in which you can move from interest to support?
If you’re not yet engaged in any way, take a look at our "Top 7" list, which contains simple yet meaningful ways to become involved in the Northeastern Athletics community. If you are already involved, use this list to find ways to increase your support:
Top 7 Ways to Increase Community Involvement
Within each of these areas, there is a place for you to take an active role and to forge close connections that have a direct impact on the quality and scope of NU Athletics and the University as a whole.
In the next several months, you will receive a letter concerning our Husky Athletics Club. You will receive invitations to special events, such as the Athletic Hall of Fame Night, along with Husky Tales, the official newsletter of NU Athletics. Joining this important fundraising group is a great first step toward active participation. Be on the lookout for this mailing, and please support our teams through this effort. In fact, if you’d like to get started right away, simply click on this link: MAKE YOUR GIFT!, to give to Northeastern Athletics.
In addition to raising funds, we are in the process of forming a network of volunteers to help us build community involvement at a higher level, and at a faster pace. If you’re interested, please contact Brett Burchette, Assistant AD/External Affairs, at (617) 373-2037 or via email at b.burchette@neu.edu.
With involvement comes an enriched experience. With active participation comes satisfaction with all that Northeastern has to offer. And quite simply, everybody needs a home team for which to cheer!
Community involvement does, indeed, begin with you. Thanks for your support!
Go, Huskies!
Dave O’Brien
Previous letters
March 2003
Hello Huskies Fans!
• 1. Follow us in the media – here, online, in the newspaper, and at the games.
• 2. Become a season ticket holder.
• 3. Contribute to the Husky Athletics Fund, and our capital campaigns. Each of these contains sport-specific giving opportunities.
• 4. Become a corporate sponsor.
• 5. Support NU Athletics by attending special events and buying merchandise.
• 6. Volunteer to help with events, such as our annual golf outings. For younger alums, this can be a great way to network with fellow NU alumni/ae!
• 7. Become an advocate of your favorite sport by assisting with the formation of a sport-based booster club chapter.
Director of Athletics
• February 2003
• Q & A with Dave O'Brien
