The UTC Graduate School is pleased to announce that Caleb Whitted will present Doctoral research titled, Factors Influencing Intercollegiate Athletics Fundraising Structure: A Survey and Theory Development on 09/20/2023 at 2:00 p.m. via Zoom Meeting ID: https://tennessee.zoom.us/j/86422843697 Everyone is invited to attend. 

Learning and Leadership

Chair: Dr. David Rausch

Abstract:Intercollegiate athletics and fundraising expectations, at institutions of higher education, continue to increase and the pressure on athletic fundraisers has never been greater. There has been little study on the effects of organization structure and design and its effect on fundraisers that work to raise funds for the athletic department. This study sought to explore the factors that contribute to athletic fundraising organization structure at NCAA Division I institutions. Using a survey and a semi-structured qualitative interview, with NCAA Division I head athletic fundraisers, research questions were crafted to gain a deeper understanding of the factors that contribute to organization structure. The researcher found that most athletic fundraising organizations in this study are organized in a hybrid organizational structure, are typically smaller than three employees, and are organized with the athletic director being the most influential leader in the organization design. As this paper was exploratory in nature, there are significant opportunities for additional research including a deeper understanding of the relationship between the university president, the athletic director, and the leader of university fundraising.