UB celebrates successful employees campaign

With a nod to tradition and a few surprises, the UB community celebrated another successful Employees Campaign for the Community last week with a party and awards presentation in the Buffalo Room in Capen Hall.

UB employees have, as of March 2, pledged $584,000 to the campaign, which is 84% of this year’s goal of $694,000 for the 2022 campaign. UB’s campaign has consistently been ranked among the largest university campaigns for employee giving in the nation.

“While we have not yet reached that total, we continue to bring in donations each week and have much to celebrate,” said Ann M. Bisantz, dean of undergraduate education and chair of the 2022 UB employees campaign.

“I am proud to have served as chair for one of UB’s most visible and long-standing initiatives in support of our greater Buffalo community. The agencies supported by this campaign do essential work that assists individuals locally, around the state, and the world, and which are aligned with our campus educational, research and service missions,” Bisantz said.

President Satish K. Tripathi called the occasion “truly a cause for celebration.”

“As you know, service to our community is core to our identity at UB,” Tripathi said. “As a premier public research university, academic and research excellence are our priorities. But they are always guided by the principle of engagement.”

Tripathi singled out UB’s campaign liaisons, the UB employees who coordinate the campaign in their departments; the steering committee, whose members volunteer to serve at the unit level; and the “many dedicated volunteers who led this year’s individual fundraising efforts.”

“Each of you has been essential to the success of the campaign,” Tripathi said. “As always, many hands and minds go into this great UB tradition. … You make UB better because of your work — and you are making a tremendous impact on our neighbors here in Buffalo and well beyond.”

Administrators frequently cited individual fundraising activities, including Student Life’s “famous” Pie Sale, the School of Dental Medicine’s Taco Tuesdays, the School of Nursing’s vendor sale supported many local entrepreneurs, and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences’ partnership with Parkside Candies for a Valentine’s Day chocolate sale.

The university chose the University Heights restaurant Shango to cater the wrap-up event, citing the restaurant as a “community partner” and for “the mac and cheese alone,” according to Jordan W. Nicholson, director of community relations, who emceed the event.

Among the awards given out at the ceremony:

The Topping the Charts Plaques, awarded for the past 10 years to recognize all units that reached their financial goals. This year’s awards went to the School of Dental Medicine, Office of the President, the UB Foundation, Office of the Chief Information Officer, University Communications, Emeritus Center and the School of Architecture and Planning.

The Chair’s Cup, awarded every year at the discretion of the campaign chair to a unit whose performance is reflective of commitment to the campaign and success in significant measures, went to the School of Dental Medicine.

The Office of the Chief Information Officer won the Bennett Cup, established in 2000 in honor of former United Way President Bob Bennett. The MVP award of the campaign, the Bennett Cup recognizes overall excellence in a unit’s campaign in a particular year and is awarded to the most successful unit.

The Office of the Vice President for Finance and Administration won the Progress Builder Award. Created in 2015, this award goes to a unit that, while missing its financial goal for the year, made significant progress in moving toward its goal.

Kelli Bocock-Natale, marketing and communications specialist, School of Dental Medicine, received the Unsung Hero Award, given to a UB employee who has contributed significantly to the campaign, but whose role and support for the campaign may not be as visible as the role of some others.

Lynette Deponceau, associate director of admissions operations, Office of Graduate Admissions, Graduate School of Education, was named Volunteer of the Year, and Patricia Shelly, director of community engagement and expansion, School of Social Work, won the William R. Greiner Award, given for exceptional commitment and outstanding service to the UB SEFA Campaign.

The campaign also recognized Bennett, who is chancellor emeritus of the New York State Board of Regents, as well as former president of the United Way of Buffalo and Erie County.

Bennett, who praised the “many, many connections” with UB — including his nephew, who plays UB football, and his granddaughter, who attends the School of Social Work — recalled teaching eight years in the Graduate School of Education.

“And I go so far back with the UB campaign,” Bennett told those attending the event. “I congratulate all of you. (UB’s campaign) is the best in the state and probably best in the nation. I remember when we used to compare this campaign to Ohio State, which has significantly more students and faculty, and even to this day, we have raised more money.”

Bennett ended the program with a story about persistence that left the participants laughing and shaking their heads in agreement.

“Having run many campaigns in my time at the United Way, 16 of them, you have good days and bad days. But you have to be persistent, and you have to hang on. And I know you’re going to make 100% of your goal.”

The campaign also honored Melissa Wood, assistant director of community relations, who has served as campaign coordinator for the past several years.

Shango leftovers from the event were shared with Compass House, a youth emergency shelter in Buffalo.