To ensure the continued success of the Mann Center, ongoing support is needed, both in the form of permanent endowments and in annual giving. Annual, non-endowed gifts benefit specific programs while making possible the ongoing work of the Center. Endowed gifts provide donors the opportunity to create an enduring legacy in their name that supports a specific initiative of the Center. For more information, please contact Dr. John Knapp at 205.726.4362.
Annual gift of $15,000 / One-time endowed gift of $300,000 to name permanently: The Mann Center periodically brings nationally and internationally known speakers to Samford to discuss relevant issues with campus and community audiences. Speakers are drawn from across the professions and academia, and represent diverse fields including philosophy, business, journalism, sociology, and politics, to name a few.
Ongoing funding is needed to cover the cost of speaker travel and honoraria, as well as costs associated with the planning and execution of such programs. Support may be provided annually, or as a one-time endowment. The donor may specify a focus area (i.e. healthcare ethics, ethics and law, etc.), with final selection of individual speakers as the responsibility of the Center. Multiple, concurrent lecture series are possible.
One-time gift of $125,000 or five-year recurring annual gift of $25,000 to name for a period of five years / One-time endowed gift of $500,000 to name permanently: The Mann Center serves as a resource for students, staff, faculty, and the community in the field of ethics and leadership. Our mission to become the thought leader in public discussion of ethics and leadership, both locally and nationally, will require a comprehensive, world-class collection of books, periodicals, online resources/subscriptions, and other media offering the latest in ethical and moral thought. The resource center will serve as the academic backbone of all that is taught and learned at the center, ensuring a level of scholarship worthy of the field, and of Samford University.
These resources will be available to Samford students, faculty, and staff and to the general public. While many resources may be housed online, donations to support a physical collection, either in the University Library or in the Mann Center offices, are also welcome.
Support needs vary; please contact the Mann Center for more information. To support its continued growth, donations are needed to maintain and furnish the physical offices of the Mann Center. Naming opportunities are available through both endowed and one-time gifts; please contact the Center to learn more.
Annual gift of $50,000 / One-time endowed gift of $1.5 million to name permanently: The Mann Center serves as an incubator for new courses and other initiatives that promote moral development and build competencies in ethical leadership. These fellowships will make it possible for three to five faculty fellows each year to devote substantial time to this important work.
Funds will support fellows’ research and cover the costs incurred by academic departments that release these scholars from a portion of their teaching responsibilities. These prestigious fellowships, the first of their kind at Samford, will make it possible for the Mann Center to produce a continuous stream of research and course content benefiting the entire Samford campus and the business community. An annual, competitive application process will select Fellows.
Support needs vary by program; please contact the Mann Center for more information. The Mann Center is home to a number of ongoing programs that benefit students, faculty and the community. These currently include the Courageous Conversations series, which encourages students to engage in moral discourse on critical issues; the Better World Theatre initiative, which allows students to creatively explore ethical issues in their field of study; programs for community, business, and professional audiences, which address a variety of topics in ethics and leadership; international service initiatives, which provide opportunities for students to practice leadership in social change; and faculty development programs.
Financial support is critical to the success of these programs, whether in the form of scholarships, sponsorships, fellowships, or through a general donation to the Mann Center’s Excellence Fund. Donors will receive recognition via the Mann Center's website and appropriate promotional materials.
Annual sponsorships starting at $3,000 / Annual presenting sponsorships starting at $15,000: Samford University awards the Mann Medal in Ethics and Leadership annually to nationally or internationally known leaders or organizations whose efforts have made significant contributions to ethics in society. The work recognized with the award must address a clear need or problem facing society, have significance on a large scale and be an inspiring example for others to follow. Sponsorships are available starting at $3,000, and cover expenses such as the cost of the ceremony and medal, travel expenses for the honoree, and a gift to the honoree’s organization or foundation.
Benefits include: recognition in promotional materials and during the event; a reserved table for the sponsor's guests; and access to a private reception with the medalist for sponsors. Presenting sponsors receive these benefits, as well as an additional reserved table for guests and the opportunity for an appropriate representative of the sponsoring organization to participate in the presentation of the medal.
Annual gift starting at $10,000: The Mann Society is an opportunity for businesses, professional firms and other institutions to join others in promoting ethical leadership. New leaders are stepping forward to invest their influence, experience and resources in the social capital necessary to build a more sustainable moral infrastructure – one that promotes sound ethical practices in all professions to emphasize personal responsibility and living well together for the good of all. Through education, mentorship, policy and personal example, the Mann Society fosters solutions to today’s ethical challenges in business and the professions.
Benefits include: exclusive opportunities for Mann Society senior managers and executives to participate in special Mann Center events with their peers; reserved seating made available upon request for all Mann Center events; prominent display of your firm’s name and logo on the Mann Center website and promotional materials; reserved seating for selected Samford University cultural events (ballet, theatre, athletics) with fellow Mann Society members; and special presentations by the center’s director at your location, customized for the management and employees of your organization.