Radford Athletics announces new donor recognition opportunities

Radford University Athletics is launching a donor recognition program designed to strengthen donor engagement, provide greater clarity around athletics philanthropy and create meaningful recognition opportunities for supporters whose generosity advances the Highlander scholar-athlete experience.

The initiative includes a refined Highlander Club annual giving model and the introduction of the Highlander Tradition Society, a new lifetime giving recognition society honoring cumulative philanthropic support across Radford Athletics.

As athletics philanthropy has grown, so have the ways supporters choose to invest in scholar-athletes and programs. In addition to annual giving, donors support Radford Athletics through scholarships, facility enhancements, sport-specific giving, endowments, leadership gifts and planned giving. The new structure is designed to better reflect those distinct giving pathways while ensuring donors understand how their support creates impact.

"At Radford, this work is ultimately about relationships," said Penny Helms White, vice president for Advancement and Alumni Relations. "We want donors to understand the many ways they can support our scholar-athletes while feeling connected to the impact of their generosity. Our goal is to provide greater clarity, strengthen relationships and ensure every supporter is recognized in a meaningful way."

A vital component of the new donor recognition program is a clearer definition of the Highlander Club's role within athletics philanthropy.

While the Highlander Club has long served as Radford Athletics' annual giving program, its purpose became blurred as support for athletics expanded across multiple giving opportunities. Under the new model, the Highlander Club returns to its intended role as Radford Athletics' primary annual giving and engagement society, recognizing annual gifts made specifically to the Highlander Club Annual Fund.

"The Highlander Club remains incredibly important to the future of Radford Athletics," said Director of Athletics Robert Lineburg. "But athletics support today is broader than any single giving program. We have donors who support scholarships, facilities, individual teams and leadership priorities in addition to annual gifts. Every one of those investments matters, and this approach will help us better recognize and steward the many ways people choose to support Radford Athletics."

Gifts to the Highlander Club Annual Fund provide flexible support that benefits scholar-athletes and athletics programs across the department, as well as other priorities that enhance the overall scholar-athlete experience. The fund also allows Radford Athletics to address emerging needs and opportunities while supporting all teams and shared departmental priorities.

Beginning July 1, Highlander Club recognition will be determined annually based solely on gifts made to the Highlander Club Annual Fund during the prior fiscal year.

Recognition levels include:

• Highlander Club Lineup ($100-$499)
• Highlander Club Varsity ($500-$1,249)
• Highlander Club Premier ($1,250-$4,999)
• Highlander Club Champions ($5,000+)

University leaders emphasized that gifts supporting scholarships, facilities, sport-specific priorities and other athletics initiatives remain critically important to the success of Highlander scholar-athletes. Those investments will continue to receive dedicated stewardship and recognition through a variety of donor engagement opportunities.

To complement the annual recognition structure, Radford Athletics is also introducing the Highlander Tradition Society.

The new society honors donors whose cumulative support has helped shape the past, present and future of Radford Athletics. Unlike the Highlander Club, which recognizes annual giving to the Highlander Club Annual Fund, the Highlander Tradition Society recognizes lifetime philanthropic impact across all athletics giving pathways, including annual giving, scholarships, facility projects, sport-specific support, endowments and other Athletics priorities.

The Highlander Tradition Society includes three recognition levels:

• Tradition Builders ($10,000-$19,999 lifetime giving)
• Tradition Bearers ($20,000-$49,999 lifetime giving)
• Tradition Keepers ($50,000 and above lifetime giving)

President Bret Danilowicz said the initiative reflects a broader commitment to sustaining opportunities for scholar-athletes and strengthening the role athletics plays within the university community.

"Division I Athletics helps create the sense of pride, belonging and connection that defines the Radford experience," Danilowicz said. "Our scholar-athletes are deeply integrated into the life of this university, and the support of our donors helps create transformational opportunities for students while strengthening the visibility and momentum of Radford University."

The athletics donor recognition program reflects Radford University's commitment to ensuring supporters feel valued, connected and informed about the impact of their generosity. University leaders say the goal is for supporters to feel known, appreciated and connected to the students, programs and experiences they help make possible.

"We want our supporters to feel connected to the students, programs and experiences they help make possible," Lineburg said. "Sustainable philanthropy is built on relationships, not transactions. This approach helps us care for our donors while creating even greater opportunities for the scholar-athletes who represent Radford University."

Engagement opportunities for supporters will continue throughout the year, beginning this fall with Radford Athletics Fan Fest on Aug. 25 and the start of the 2026-27 athletics season. Additional events, experiences and stewardship initiatives will help connect donors more directly to the programs and students they support.

For those interested in learning more about athletics giving opportunities and priorities, Radford Athletics recently released its Athletics Investment Guide, which outlines the ways supporters can invest in scholar-athlete success.

For more information about supporting Radford Athletics, view the Athletics Investment Guide, visit RadfordAthletics.com or contact [email protected].