INDIANAPOLIS -- Officials with Butler University recently announced that one of the university's trustees has committed a $12 million gift to support the university's women's athletics program.
According to a news release from the university, the future estate gift from Rebecca Graham Paul, announced on National Girls and Women in Sports Day, is the largest documented estate commitment in university history and the largest gift ever to Butler Athletics.
Paul, a graduate of Butler University, designated the majority of her gift to create the Rebecca Graham Paul ’70, MS ’75 Endowed Fund for Women’s Athletics Excellence. The release said this will provide support for "priority initiatives" within the university's 12 women's athletics programs, including the cheer and dance teams.
“I was a gymnast and physical education major at Butler in an era when women had limited career opportunities,” Paul said in the release. “Butler taught me to think strategically, to have confidence, and to pursue any opportunity I wanted.”
Currently, Paul is the president and chief executive officer of the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation and the immediate past president of the World Lottery Association. Paul has served on the Butler Board of Trustees since 2019.
“Rebecca’s incredible generosity and leadership will benefit Butler student-athletes for decades to come,” Grant Leiendecker, the university's vice president and director of athletics, said in the release. “Her passion for developing women leaders through sport is inspiring, and we could not be more grateful for her support. This commitment comes at a time when the funding model of intercollegiate athletics is under immense pressure. Rebecca’s support will make a transformational impact on Butler Athletics and the development of future Bulldog leaders.”
Other portions of the gift will establish the Rebecca Graham Paul ’70, MS ’75 Athletics Leadership Academy Endowed Fund, as well as establish endowed scholarships in honor of her late husband in the university's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The release said that the academy will provide leadership programming for all of Butler's student-athletes.
“We are deeply grateful to Rebecca Graham Paul for her extraordinary generosity and steadfast commitment to Butler University,” Butler President James Danko said in the release. “Her transformational gift will not only elevate our women’s athletics programs but also inspire future generations of female student-athletes to excel both on and off the field of play. As a proud alumna, Rebecca’s leadership reflects the very best of Butler’s engaged and successful alumni base, and her dedication will leave a lasting legacy of opportunity and excellence.”
For more information about the university's athletic programs, click here.