UTHealth Houston honored by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Houston Chapter for philanthropic achievements
UTHealth Houston and its community members received three prestigious 2024 National Philanthropy Day Awards from the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Greater Houston Chapter during its annual luncheon held Wednesday, Nov. 13. These awards recognize exceptional achievement in fundraising and a steadfast dedication to making a difference in the world.
The university’s Many Faces. One Mission. campaign was recognized as the Outstanding Fundraising Program for initiatives greater than $2 million. LaTanya Love, MD, executive vice president of Student and University Affairs, accepted the award, along with UTHealth Houston Development Board Chair Maria Pappas, and was featured in a video shown at the luncheon, highlighting the campaign’s impact on improving health. The campaign — the largest philanthropic effort in UTHealth Houston history — surpassed its $500 million fundraising goal by raising more than $534 million, advancing priorities in health education, research, and patient care.
“Our future is bright,” Love said. “This campaign allowed us to recruit more top-tier faculty who are here to take care of our patients and train our students. It allowed for endowed professorships. It allowed for full-ride scholarships. It also helped us develop amazing centers for research.”
UTHealth Houston previously received the Council for Advancement and Support of Education District IV gold awards for the Many Faces. One Mission. celebration website and The Art of Gratitude project commemorating donors’ support of the campaign. In addition, the university has been honored with two GIA Awards for Excellence from the Association of American Medical Colleges, receiving gold distinction for the campaign celebration website and a bronze award for The Art of Gratitude.
Kevin J. Foyle, MBA, CFRE, Senior Vice President of Development and Public Affairs at UTHealth Houston, received the Byron Welch Award for Lifetime Achievement in Fundraising. During his distinguished career, Foyle has profoundly impacted many communities, including Rice University, where he helped lead the Centennial campaign to raise $1 billion. Under his tenure at UTHealth Houston, the university more than doubled its annual new gift commitments. Foyle has been active in the fundraising community and served as board chair of AFP Global, the largest organization of charitable fundraisers in the world.
“To get this kind of acknowledgment — and for it to come from my peers — is humbling but powerful,” Foyle said of the award.
Longtime university supporters Laura and D. Bradley McWilliams were celebrated with the Maurice Hirsch Award for Philanthropy, which recognizes individuals and families who demonstrate exceptional generosity. The couple have made significant philanthropic contributions across the Greater Houston area, supporting health innovation and vital community programs, including the YMCA, Houston Grand Opera, and McWilliams Dog Park in Hermann Park. In honor of Bradley McWilliams’ transformative $22 million donation to the university, its School of Biomedical Informatics was named the McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics at UTHealth Houston.