summer 2014Reprinted with permission from Student Affairs News"Young alumnus invests in the Mizzou student experience."Story by Angela Dahman ; Photo by Scott Sutton/SA

Dahman, Angela

English

University of Missouri: MOspace

izzou was an easychoice for DomingoPacheco. He knew hedidn’t want to stay in hishometown of Springfield, Missouri,so he followed his friends toColumbia. What he foundsurprised him.“One of the things I realized quitequickly was the opportunity,” saysPacheco, BA, BS ’09. One opportunity led to another,from undergraduate research to Missouri StudentsAssociation (MSA) activities.Eventually, Pacheco found himself in charge of theSTRIPES safe driving program, where he worked tohttps://mizzoumag.missouri.edu/2014/07/stumbling-upon-opportunity/in... 4/28/2021, 11:17 AMreduce the designated driver age from 21 to 18,increasing the pool of volunteers. Then he beganexploring options for sustainable funding.“When STRIPES first came out, the idea was MSAwould give us a little money until we becameindependent. But STRIPES had never really takenstrides to become financially independent,” Pachecosays.That’s when he learned about endowments. When aprogram is endowed, the original gift amount is notspent, just the interest. By preserving the principal, anendowment provides funding in perpetuity.The STRIPES endowment was created with $25,000in gifts from corporations, parents and alumni plusproceeds from a golf tournament fundraiser. Todaythe endowment is valued at nearly $60,000,providing about $2,400 for the program every year.Shortly after graduation, Pacheco found himselfdiscussing philanthropy with former MSA presidentand fellow Springfield native Rachel Anderson, BGS’08. The MU Student Center had just opened, andAnderson, then a regional development officer forMU, happened to mention the new UnionsEntrepreneurial Program.The program, supported by the Missouri StudentUnions, nurtures creativity among MU students byproviding startup money and a rent‐free retailstorefront in the MU Student Center for one year.https://mizzoumag.missouri.edu/2014/07/stumbling-upon-opportunity/in... 4/28/2021, 11:17 AMApplicants are required to submit a business plan,marketing strategy and budget.“The kind of students taking this risk are the kind ofpeople who are going to be very, very successful later,”says Pacheco, now a solution engineer for SAP. “Iwish we could have done that [when I was a student].We had all sorts of ideas.”With a matching gift from his employer, Pachecopledged to endow the program. He acknowledges the$25,000 minimum to create an endowment isdaunting.“Those are the kinds of checks you write when you buya house, not when you make a donation,” he says.“But when you can split it over five years and factor inan employer match, all of a sudden it’s not a scarynumber.”Pacheco says he’s simply putting his money where hismouth is.“To me, when I look back, Mizzou means opportunity.You have all these resources and opportunities at yourfingertips. Across the board, it’s themes of leadership,working with other individuals and communication.That carries over no matter what field you go into.“I stumbled upon Mizzou,” Pacheco says. “And yearafter year, semester after semester, I stumbled uponall these opportunities. This [gift] is my thank youcard to Mizzou.”https://mizzoumag.missouri.edu/2014/07/stumbling-upon-opportunity/in... 4/28/2021, 11:17 AMhttps://mizzoumag.missouri.edu/2014/07/stumbling-upon-opportunity/in... 4/28/2021, 11:17 AM

Stumbling Upon Opportunity

https://mospace.umsystem.edu/xmlui/bitstream/10355/82747/1/MIZZOUMag-StumblingUponOpportunity.pdf

Stumbling Upon Opportunity

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