MSU Moorhead - Dragon Fire Walk for Athletics

FAQs

WHAT IS DRAGON FIRE?
Dragon Fire is the official fund raising organization for MSUM Athletics.

WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO?
Dollars raised through the Dragon Fire Walk for Athletics go toward athletic scholarships. The cost of attending MSUM next year is estimated to be $12,058. This does not include any expenses such as travel, meals, recruiting, equipment or salaries. A full athletic scholarship consists of tuition, fees, room/board, and books.

WHERE DOES OTHER SCHOLARSHIP MONEY COME FROM?
A part of it comes from the general fund. The university sets aside 1% of the general budget for scholarships. A portion of this goes to athletic scholarships. A second part of it comes from revenue the athletic department generates through ticket sales, concessions, advertising and corporate sponsorship programs. Finally, the dollars that Dragon Fire raises goes towards athletic scholarships.

HOW MUCH SCHOLARSHIP MONEY CAN DRAGON ATHLETICS OFFER?
The Northern Sun Intercollegiate conference allows members to offer 90 equivalencies. The estimated average next year will be around 65. MSUM will have around 33 scholarships to offer its student-athletes.

WHY DOES MSUM ATHLETICS NEED MY SUPPORT?
Private contributions play one of the most significant roles in the success of any intercollegiate athletic program. MSUM is no exception.

NSIC expansion has widened the gap between the top and the bottom of the league. MSU-Mankato, UMDuluth, St. Cloud State, and Augustana College are coming into the league almost fully funded.

Dragon Athletics takes pride in recruiting and retaining the majority of its student-athletes from MN and ND. We want to be able to recruit our regional students to MSUM and provide them an opportunity to be successful on the playing fields.

IS MY DONATION TAX DEDUCTABLE?
Yes it is. The charitable deduction for federal income tax purposes is limited to the excess, if any of your contribution over the value of any goods and services provided to them.

WHAT IS THE DRAGON FIRE WALK FOR ATHLETICS?
It is the concept that thousands of small steps by Dragon fans, friends and alumni will add up to one giant, vital step for the program. It’s an annual effort organized by a group of loyal volunteers that has organized captains and teams that contact their family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and others to support Dragon Athletics by either joining the walk or sponsoring them as a walker. All contributions from these efforts go directly into the athletic scholarship fund at Minnesota State University Moorhead. This one-day event is quickly becoming one of the largest events for friends and alumni of Minnesota State University Moorhead.

WHY ARE SCHOLARSHIPS IMPORTANT?
Successful recruiting efforts, winning records, conference championships, national tournament berths, and academic success are a direct result of the financial support our teams receive. In the past few years tuition at MSUM has increased significantly due to cuts in state funding for higher education. Coupled with the expansion of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, the importance of external funding for athletics has drastically increased. The bottom line is that without vital scholarship dollars, MSUM would not be able to recruit and retain high caliber student-athletes.

WHY IS THIS A WALK OF CELEBRATION?
Sadly, Judy Peterson passed away this fall. An integral part of the annual event since its inception, Judy was part of the visionary group that saw what a unifying event the Dragon Fire Walk for Athletics could become. She saw an event that could raise the profile of the entire university and raise money for much needed athletic scholarships for Dragon Athletics.

As a result of her efforts and dedication, Judy and her family have been chosen as the honorary chairs of the 2008 Dragon Fire Walk for Athletics. The steering committee chose the theme “A Walk of Celebration” in order to celebrate the early success and growth of the event and because it aptly describes the vision for the event that Judy had: a celebration that has the potential to grow yearly, bring back alumni and friends to campus, and provide a simple effective method of raising money for athletic scholarships.

WHY IS THIS FUND RAISER SO IMPORTANT?
06-07 - ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIPS FOR DRAGON STUDENT-ATHLETES = 33
06-07 - AVG # OF SCHOLARSHIPS OFFERED BY 14 FUTURE NSIC TEAMS = 65
08-09 - MAX ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIPS OFFERED BY A NSIC SCHOOL = 90
06-07 - MAX NUMBER OF SCHOLARSHIPS ALLOWED BY THE NSIC = 90
* 06-07 most recent available information

With the growth and the increased competitiveness of the NSIC, it is vital that we increase athletic scholarship funding as quickly as possible. The Dragon Fire Walk for Athletics plays a huge role in the success of our athletic department.

DRAGON FAST FACTS...

There are over 330 Dragon student-athletes that compete in 16 varsity sports.

Over 84% of our student-athletes are from Minnesota and North Dakota.

The 06-07 cumulative GPA for all Dragon student-athletes was 3.006.

The area of study that has the largest number of majors is the sciences with 39 Dragon student-athletes choosing this area of study.

Dragon student-athletes are involved on campus and in the F-M community. The Kiwannis Pancake feed, Scorch’s Lunch Bunch, the Dragon Swim School, Habitat for Humanity, Make-A-Wish Foundation and Think Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness are just a few of the efforts and organizations our student-athletes have volunteered their time and energy towards.

This is the 3rd year of the Dragon Fire Walk for Athletics. Our goal is for it to be the largest event on the MSUM campus, second only to the 4th of July Celebration. It has raised over $200,000 for athletics in its first two years.

Dragon Athletics has brought student-athletes to the Fargo Moorhead area that have stayed after graduation. Notable names include Eddie Schultz, Mike McFeely, Kirstin Kealy, Jim Kapitan, Karen Schumacher, and many more.

Hosting almost 100 athletic events, camps, and clinics in Moorhead; Dragon Athletics has an economic impact on our community. Opposing teams, fans, officials and participants spend money at our local businesses.

For More Information Contact:

Greg Peterson
Phone: 218-477-2907
Cell: 701.200-5091
Fax: 218. 477.2370
walkathn@mnstate.edu
1104 7th Ave. S. UPO #10
Moorhead, MN 56563