The Colonial Champions Fund is dedicated to funding all aspects of the student-athlete experience, student success and student-athlete welfare. The Champions Fund ensures more than just wins and losses, the enhancement fund provides RMU student-athletes with funding for their academic and career pursuits, while representing RMU on the playing field, ice and court. By investing in the most meaningful areas for student-athletes at RMU, donors can assist current and future Colonials with the necessary resources to succeed in competition, the classroom and in their future career preparation.
Related: GIVE NOW!
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Six Main Areas of the Champions Fund:
- Counseling, Mental Health & Wellness Resources
- NutritionÂ
- Sports Performance, Sports Medicine, and Strength & Conditioning
- Academic Support Services and Retention
- Recruiting
- Leadership Development and Career Preparation
Counseling, Mental Health & Wellness:
RMU athletics works directly with RMU’s counseling team to provide direct services for student-athletes who are experiencing symptoms consistent with diagnosable mental health disorders, to those who are seeking ways to optimize their performance in the classroom and in competition, as well as help with everyday life. Due to the nature of student-athletes being some of the most recognizable faces on campus, student-athletes are able to seek counseling services off campus with additional privacy measures. The need to counsel student-athletes remotely also provides additional considerations and required resources. Support from our generous donors allow for RMU athletics to provide these critical counseling services to our students to help during times of need.
The resources required to keep our student-athletes healthy has never been more urgent than in today’s current environment. RMU needs your assistance to continue to fund resources to ensure our student-athletes continue to be safe and healthy while pursuing their athletic and academic pursuits at the highest levels.
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Nutrition:
RMU Athletics is committed to providing the best education and service to support healthy fueling habits and to prepare our student-athletes for healthy life habits post-graduation.
- Student-athlete refueling stations located inside UPMC Events Center and the RMU Island Sports Center, open for all student-athletes for grab-&-go snacks & drinks.
Support from our generous donors allow for RMU athletics to provide healthy fuel habits for over 400 student-athletes, including team meals and supplemental training and recovery options.
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Sports Performance, Sports Medicine, and Strength & Conditioning:
RMU athletics is committed to providing our student-athletes with the best medical care, which is evident with our partnership with UPMC as our official medical provider. Colonial student-athletes are treated by the best physicians in Pittsburgh, including full access to the UPMC medical network, along with RMU’s own sports medicine training staff.
The sports performance and strength & conditioning program within RMU athletics provides our student-athletes with well-rounded, sport specific training throughout the year that allows them to perform to their highest level. The strength and conditioning staff tailors individual programs for each student-athlete using industry accepted and scientifically supported methodologies.
Donor support allows RMU athletics to ensure our student-athletes are able to perform at the top of their game!
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Academic Support Services and Retention:
RMU athletics is committed to the enhancement of a comprehensive athletics academic support program that promotes graduation within four years, increases departmental grade point averages, and facilitates academic progress rates (APR), while maintaining a culture of academic integrity.
An investment in academic support services allows the department of athletics to provide additional student-athlete programmatic resources to enable RMU athletics to offer a first-class academic experience for our 400+ student-athletes.
Our current academic projects consist of three major initiatives:
- An academic staff restructure to address student-athletes’ needs, promote retention of qualified staff, and provide for their professional development
- A facilities and academic center upgrade to provide adequate office space for student-athlete academic services staff
- Enhancement of current technology and the addition of new technology to support the growth and development of our student-athletes
Recruiting:
The coaches in each of our 16 intercollegiate athletic programs are tasked with finding and recruiting the best and the brightest student-athletes. Over 65% of our 400+ student-athletes hail from outside of the state of Pennsylvania, including over 20 foreign countries. This makes it imperative that our coaches have the resources to travel and find talent anywhere in the world. Thanks to the generous support of our donors, our coaches are able to discover the best student-athletes and show them all that Robert Morris University has to offer.
Generous gifts from donors allow RMU coaches to travel to find and recruit the best student-athletes, as well as allowing us to bring these prospected students to campus – allowing RMU to know who they are recruiting. Once they become Colonials, RMU Athletics is committed to ensuring the best possible experience to retain our student-athletes through graduation.
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Leadership Development and Career Preparation:
RMU Athletics is committed to providing our student-athletes with the tools and resources to succeed during their academic careers as Colonials and prepare them for life beyond college athletics. The overall goal is to create individuals who are leaders in competition and in life. Recent donor support towards leadership development and career preparation for our student-athletes led to two major initiatives for RMU athletics:
- The Leroy M. Ball Colonial Leadership Academy (CLA) exists to provide an opportunity for student-athletes to lay the groundwork for a successful collegiate career and a productive future post-graduation.
- Key Components of CLA:
- Three-year program beginning in fall of sophomore year;
- Open to all student-athletes through application/interview process; and,
- Capstone project in year three designed to provide opportunity to demonstrate skills and strength areas developed through CLA.
- The Robert Morris Athlete Network is a branded and customized technology platform to organize, promote and track the programs and services offered to all current and former student-athletes. The RMU Athlete Network will connect both alumni and current Colonials with potential employers while serving as a vehicle to increase their engagement with the campus community.
The investments provided by our generous donors allow for the success of programs like the
Leroy M. Ball Colonial Leadership Academy and tools such as the
RMU Athlete Network, internship opportunities, mentorship placement and professional development opportunities. An investment into leadership development and career preparation programming allows our student-athletes to develop into leaders of tomorrow while providing a seamless transition to life after sports.
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COLONIAL CHAMPIONS FUND
Opportunities/Levels of Support:
- $250,000: Name the Champions Fund
- $25,000 annually (four-year commitment)
- $10,000 annually (four-year commitment)
- $5,000 annually (four-year commitment)
- $2,500 annually (four-year commitment)
- $1,000 annually (four-year commitment)
- Other $Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â annual commitmentÂ
Donor Opportunities:
- $25,000 annually (four-year commitment)
- Receive (2) men’s or women’s basketball courtside season seats annually
- Includes VIP parking & club hospitality (as applies)
- Receive (4) season passes to President’s Box for football games
- Includes VIP parking & hospitality
- Receive (4) men’s hockey club season passes with hospitality
- Receive opportunity for lacrosse box seating
- Receive (4) complimentary seats for Athletics Hall of Fame Dinner & Spring Student-Athlete Award Reception annually
- Membership to RMU’s 1921 Club
- Receive opportunities to join additional trips and experiencesÂ
- $10,000 annually (four-year commitment)
- Receive (2) men’s or women’s basketball courtside season seats annually
- Includes VIP parking & club hospitality (as applies)
- Receive (2) season passes to President’s Box for football games
- Includes VIP parking & hospitality
- Receive (4) men’s hockey club season passes with hospitality
- Receive opportunity for lacrosse box seating
- Receive (2) complimentary seats for Athletics Hall of Fame Dinner & Spring Student-Athlete Award Reception annually
- Membership to RMU’s 1921 Club
- Receive opportunities to join additional trips and experiences (additional costs may apply)
- $5,000 annually (four-year commitment)
- Receive opportunity to purchase (2) men’s or women’s basketball courtside season seats annually
- Includes VIP parking & club hospitality (as applies)
- Receive invitation for (2) passes to President’s Box for one football game annually
- Includes VIP parking & hospitality
- Receive (4) men’s hockey club passes with hospitality for all games on demand
- Receive opportunity for lacrosse box seating
- Receive (2) complimentary seats for Athletics Hall of Fame Dinner & Spring Student-Athlete Award Reception annually
- Membership to RMU’s 1921 Club
- Receive opportunities to join additional trips and experiences (additional costs may apply)
- $2,500 annually (four-year commitment)
- Receive opportunity to purchase (2) men’s basketball club season seats annually
- Includes VIP parking & club hospitality
- Receive (4) men’s hockey & football club passes with hospitality for all games on demand
- Receive opportunity for lacrosse box seating
- Receive (2) complimentary seats to Spring Student-Athlete Award Reception annually
- Membership to RMU’s 1921 Club
- Receive opportunities to join additional trips and experiences (additional costs may apply)
- $1,000 annually (four-year commitment)
- Membership to RMU’s 1921 Club
- Ability to purchase club access season tickets for football, men’s basketball, and men’s hockey
Related: GIVE NOW!
Please contact Senior Associate Athletic Director for Development TJ Brown at
brownt@rmu.edu or (412) 397-5960 to communicate your interest in the Colonial Champions Fund or with any questions regarding a donation or gift pledge.
