Eagle Nation:
I pray this letter finds you and your family safe and healthy during these unprecedented times. On behalf of our staff, coaches and student-athletes, I want to thank each of you for your continued support of Eagle Athletics. Your contributions to the Georgia Southern Athletic Foundation directly impacts the lives of the 400 student-athletes who proudly wear Blue and White.
This past Monday, we rebranded our annual fund to the Erk Russell Fund. There is no greater honor than to name our annual fund after Coach Russell, who tirelessly gave to our great university. Annual contributions to the Erk Russell Fund are critical to the support of Georgia Southern Athletics and fund millions of dollars in yearly expenses. These dollars are needed to support athletic scholarships, facilities, sports medicine personnel, coaching, academic support and many other services. The generosity of Erk Russell Fund members affords our student-athletes the ability to compete at a high level and grow into great ambassadors representing our university.
Along with the announcement of the renaming of our annual fund and membership levels, we also introduced several new value-adds for members of the Erk Russell Fund:
- Streamlined and updated benefits chart
- Added benefits (including virtual events, autographed items and other incentives)
- The ability for monthly payment subscription
- Lower entry-level contribution
- Revamped student and young alumni programs (please go to GSEagles.com/Foundation for more information)
- Made it easier to give (you can click "give" from anywhere on the website). And we're now also accepting donations through PayPal. Just search Georgia Southern Athletic Foundation.
More than ever, Eagle Nation, this is our time to rally around our student-athletes! We are at a crucial moment when we can all come together to position ourselves in a manner that makes us all proud. Our 17-sport department is being presented with challenges unlike any we have seen. We hope you will continue your commitment to the young men and women in our program as we navigate the next several months.
In closing, in order for Georgia Southern to reach its desired goals, I will strategically highlight three (3) things that individuals and companies can do to help us reach our desired goals:
- Financially support the Athletic Foundation and the Erk Russell Fund
- Buy season tickets and create a home-field advantage
- Get others to do the same!
Our Athletic Ticket Office is ready to assist you in purchasing tickets and can be reached at 1-800-GSU-WINS or via email at tickets@georgiasouthern.edu. For those wishing to donate, please go to Give.GSEagles.com.
Hail Southern! GATA!
Jared Benko
Georgia Southern Director of Athletics
