A Michigan State alumna has submitted a pledge of $500,000 toward the reinstatement of the Spartans’ swim and dive program, bringing them one step closer to their goal of $6.5 million for five years of funding.
Amanda Mercer made the donation in honor of her late husband, Todd, who she met while swimming at MSU. Todd lost his battle with cancer in 2021. The pledge is an aggregate of donations made possible thanks to her and Todd‘s friends and family.
“My pledge is conditional on bringing the programs back (obviously) and the school’s commitment to build an indoor 50m competition pool,” Mercer said. “The school has indicated these are both very real possibilities and we will have an answer by this summer.”
Amanda Mercer herself was a captain at Michigan State, and she beat breast cancer herself a decade ago – participating in an English Channel crossing while undergoing chemo.
Mercer is an attorney in Michigan specializing in civil law and is also the founder of an app called BARDEUM, which provides enhanced interactive experiences at museums and other cultural sites.
The latest figures released by Battle for Spartan Swim and Dive show 103 pledges received so far, only about a third of the prospective donations initially offered last year. The group has set a target of 300 pledges by April 21. Last July, supporters sent MSU a budget proposal claiming to have secured approximately $10 million in funds to cover operating expenses for about five years.
Last month, MSU started officially working with the Battle for Spartan Swim and Dive advocacy group that has fought for the return of both the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams since they were cut after the 2020-21 season. A two-year legal battle, which was resolved in January, has now turned into a fundraising challenge.
A pair of Spartan swimmers, Kasey Venn and Travis Nitkiewicz, won high point awards at the 2023 Collegiate Club Swimming National Championships earlier this month.
So inspiring and supportive for swimmers from someone who wants to give forward. All the best.
That is such a generous donation, I really hope it can bring back the swim program.
Let this be a warning to all of you out there.
Establish a habit of giving to your favorite collegiate swim program(s).
Do it now. Don’t wait for something bad to react to.
A small donation is better than nothing at all.
It’s easier to keep a program going than to resurrect a cancelled one.
Things I think about when I’m in the shower:
Let’s say the average D1 program has 7-8 swimmers per class who make it through four years, per gender. That means the average D1 program probably has in the neighborhood of 350-400 living alumni per gender (50*7).
Let’s cut off 20% of those who won’t donate because they didn’t enjoy their experience, life didn’t go as expected, etc.
So each program, per gender, has about 300 alumni in a position to donate.
Obviously a “full endowment” is the best way to ensure the future of your program. But what’s the size of an endowment, per gender, that makes it nearly-impossible for an AD to cut a program? $1 million in interest… Read more »
Maybe we start beating the drum here on SS.
I do my part by posting a rah-rah comment about once a year.
What a moving tribute. I hope MSU realizes that Amanda’s influence here can go a long way. I urge the university to come up with this commitment necessary for Amanda’s gift to be realized.
Wow, Anna is a bad ass.
Amanda you are amazing and I a proud to have known you and Todd. You both represent all the good in college amateur sports and life. I’ll see you at Canham and hopefully see MSU added to league again with UCLA and USC.
https://battleforspartanswimanddive.com/
⚔️💥💚🤍👍🏼👍🏼