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NKU Go Norse Fund Board announces ‘$18 for 240’ initiative in support of academic efforts


Athletic competition may have taken a timeout this fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but that hasn’t kept the Northern Kentucky University student-athletes from putting in the work to improve athletically and continue to set new standards in the classroom.

For 18-consecutive semesters, Norse student-athletes have earned cumulative GPAs of 3.0 or better, with the last six semesters above a 3.37 GPA.

NKU student-athletes and Go Norse Fund Board members are teaming up to challenge Norse Nation with the goal of at least 240 fans of Norse Athletics to donate a minimum of $18 in support of the academic success and to provide essential resources for our student-athletes. In honor of the 240 NKU student-athletes earning a cumulative 3.0 GPA or better over the course of the last 18-consecutive semesters, NKU Athletics and the Go Norse Fund are launching the “$18 for 240” initiative.

Spearheaded by a member of NKU’s track & field team, senior Jenna Tracy wanted to challenge Norse Nation just as the student-athletes have settled for nothing short of greatness.

“Having the opportunity to create and work on this fundraising initiative has been a really great experience,” Tracy said. “My fellow student-athletes have had to overcome so much adversity because of the current climate and to see them maintain academic excellence amidst all of this madness makes me extremely proud to be a Norse.”

The “$18 for 240” initiative kicked off on Oct. 7 and runs through Nov. 19.

Members of the Go Norse Fund (GNF) Board of Directors see this as an important opportunity to continue supporting NKU’s student-athletes, and they have offered an additional incentive to surpass the initiative’s goal of at least 240 individuals donating a minimum of $18. Consequently, the GNF Board will match the first $6,000 raised.

Funds raised during this initiative will be used for technology upgrades to the Thomas J. Kearns Academic Lab in BB&T Arena and the Student-Athlete Academic Lab in Albright Health Center.

“Our student-athletes work incredibly hard not only in competition, but in the classroom,” said Tom McGill, president of the Go Norse Fund Board of Directors. “Their commitment to academic excellence over the past 18 semesters has been awe-inspiring. As a member of the Go Norse Fund Board of Directors, we feel it is not only our responsibility to support our athletes during competition, but more importantly in the classroom and in their preparation for the future.”

The department finished with a 3.5 GPA for the 2019-20 academic year, marking the sixth consecutive semester that Norse student-athletes surpassed the 3.37 threshold.

“I continue to be impressed with our student-athletes’ commitment to academic achievement and their resiliency no matter the hurdles in their path,” said Ken Bothof, director of athletics. “The $18 for 240 initiative is a tremendous way to honor the dedication of our student-athletes and support their academic pursuits.”

To support NKU’s student-athletes by joining the $18 for 240 initiative, please visit the following impact.nku.edu.

From Northern Kentucky University


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