Go Gold fundraiser to raise $6 million for move to Division I 

When NKU announced the transition to Division I in December 2011, a campaign called “Go Gold” was launched to facilitate the school’s move to the upper echelon of college sports. This campaign was made public in March 2013 and a goal was set to reach $6 million in order to enable student-athletes at NKU to reach their highest potential.

“The Go Gold Campaign was a collaborative effort between us in the athletic department, those in university development, and those within President Mearn’s administration,” TJ Feuerbach, director of athletic development said.

The campaign is trying to raise $6 million over a 5-year period to help support NKU’s athletic transition to Division I, as well as allocate most of that money for scholarships.

“We recently received a large gift from an anonymous donor that put us over the $3 million mark,” said Kurt Moeller senior associate athletic director for external operations.

The main focus of the campaign is to create additional revenue for athletics, according to Moeller.

“As we move into Division I, it is important to give our student athletes the opportunity to be successful and we are providing them with additional funds so that we can push them along in that direction,” Moeller said.

The campaign is open to anyone who wants to make a financial contribution to the school, including faculty and staff members as well as those within the community. Also, the donation is not limited to just athletics.

“The money we raise is mainly for scholarships, facilities, and academic support,” Moeller, said. “However, if someone wants to donate to the College of Arts and Sciences or the College of Informatics, we fully support the donor’s wishes and push them in that direction.”

The Go Gold Campaign has helped more than just the athletic department, so that even if donors are not interested in athletics, the money given will be used in other venues to support the institution as a whole.

The sole purpose of the campaign was to kick off NKU’s move to Division I, and it has become clear that the goal will be met well within the 5-year time frame.

Moeller strongly believes that the Go Gold Campaign has been good for NKU as an institution.

“I think it’s kind of a working relationship where one helps the other,” Moeller said. “We had a very successful season with our volleyball team going 25-7 and finishing 3rd in the Atlantic Sun Conference. That generated publicity for us and it helps when we go out to solicit donors for the campaign.”

TJ Feuerbach added the importance of playing big-name schools: “I think the basketball team playing at Purdue, North Carolina, and Kentucky this year helps with brand recognition, and can even be used as a recruiting tool for our coaches.”

The NKU men’s basketball team will play at Purdue on Nov. 8th, at Kentucky on Nov. 10, and at North Carolina on Dec. 27.

NKU President Geoffrey Mearns believes that the move to Division I is greatly beneficial for not just the school, but the local area in general.

“The transition to Division I is certainly exciting to all of us on campus,” Mearns said. “But it’s also part of the community and helps with instilling pride throughout the area.”

The Go Gold Campaign is a fundraiser that is expanding the Norse brand not just locally and regionally but nationally as well.