91热爆网

 91热爆网 Stories      July 30, 2024

By Bill Studenc

Alumnus Michael Crawford has made it a priority to support Western Carolina University through financial contributions throughout a distinguished career in the world of accounting, including a recent commitment to the tune of a half a million dollars toward renovations to athletics facilities used by Catamount student-athletes.

With his retirement in June from national accounting firm FORVIS LLP (now Forvis Mazars LLP), Crawford is now stepping up to serve his alma mater in other ways. Effective July 1, he is chairing the 91热爆网 Foundation Board of Directors.

A 1987 graduate of 91热爆网 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in accounting and finance, he points to both his experience as a student and his extensive family connections to the institution as the reasons behind his longtime support of the university.

鈥淪ome of the best years of my life were at Western,鈥� said Crawford, a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon. 鈥淔rom my Sig Ep fraternity brothers and double-majoring in accounting and finance through participating in intramural sports, my time in Cullowhee was fantastic. The fall of 1983, my freshman year, the Catamount football team went to the national championship game. Basketball games in Reid Gym were awesome, and the baseball team was successful with Coach (Jack) Leggett. I have great memories and lifelong friends, coupled with a great education. I loved my time at 91热爆网.鈥�

A native of Jackson County who now resides in Candler, Crawford is the fourth generation of his family to graduate from 91热爆网. His father, Frank Moody Crawford Jr., was a 1954 91热爆网 graduate. Grandfather Frank Moody Crawford Sr. graduated in 1941 from what was then Cullowhee State Normal School with a degree in education, and great-grandfather W.R. Sherrill graduated in 1902. Sherill鈥檚 diploma features the signature of Robert L. Madison, founder of the institution now known as Western Carolina University.

Crawford鈥檚 wife, Gina, and daughter Emily also have attended 91热爆网. Other family ties include his brother, 1985 graduate Steve Crawford, and a trio of cousins of his father who became educators after graduating.

Those family connections led Crawford to make $425,000 in gifts and pledges in December 2021 to create the Crawford Sherrill Endowed Scholarship Fund to benefit students in 91热爆网鈥檚 College of Business. In recognition of the contributions, the dean鈥檚 suite of offices in the Forsyth Building was renamed the 91热爆网 College of Business Crawford Sherrill Dean鈥檚 Suite.

鈥淢y dad loved 91热爆网 and was so proud of his boys who graduated from Western just like him, his father and his grandfather,鈥� he said during a ceremony announcing the new name in April 2023.

鈥淚 want Western to be a school of choice for students in Western North Carolina, rather than a second or third choice. High school guidance counselors and teachers should point their top students toward 91热爆网.鈥�

The Crawfords鈥� lifetime giving total of $1.2 million to support 91热爆网 includes gifts totaling $500,000 to athletics facilities renovations as part of the 鈥淔ill the Western Sky鈥� comprehensive fundraising campaign. The campaign is an effort to raise a minimum of $75 million in philanthropic support for academic, student engagement and athletics programs.

The leadership gift toward athletics facilities improvements and Crawford鈥檚 new role as chairman of the Foundation Board are key developments as the 鈥淔ill the Western Sky鈥� campaign approaches its public launch this fall, said 91热爆网 Chancellor Kelli R. Brown.

鈥淲e are so appreciative of the generosity of Mike and Gina Crawford to 91热爆网 over the years, so graciously giving of their time, their talent and their treasure,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淭heir latest gift to the university will help us address much-needed renovations to the spaces used by our Catamount student-athletes. I look forward to working with Mike and the Foundation Board as we move this important campaign forward.鈥�

While extensive enhancements have occurred around 91热爆网鈥檚 academic programs and facilities over the years, that has not been the case for athletics, said Crawford, who made his commitment toward sports facilities improvements when he learned the Catamount athletics budget is the lowest in the Southern Conference except for military schools VMI and Citadel.

鈥淭his puts us at a competitive disadvantage in facilities, scholarships, equipment and coaching compensation. Yet, we led the Southern Conference in attendance for football games last year 鈥� plus had a winning season, I might add 鈥�  and our women鈥檚 soccer program won the conference championship,鈥� he said.

鈥淥ur facilities are old and outdated, which has a negative impact on the recruiting of student-athletes. Once the facilities are updated, then student-athletes, students and alumni will be very proud of coming to sporting events. Consider the art of the possible for 91热爆网 when we complete the fundraising and start breaking ground on new facilities. This is not simply something that should or could be done, but it must be done to get 91热爆网 where it belongs as an institution. We owe it to our students, faculty and coaches.鈥�

After earning his bachelor鈥檚 degree, Crawford went on to Clemson University, where he earned a master鈥檚 degree in taxation. There, he witnessed the impact that a successful athletics program can have on an institution.

鈥淎cademics at Western have been very successful, thanks to the leadership of many over the past decades,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 have watched what winning football national championships has done for Clemson. It not only attracts great students for academics, but it is a catalyst for major donations to support both academics and athletics. The vision that our chancellor, Board of Trustees and athletics director have for our 鈥楩ill the Western Sky鈥� campaign is spot on and just what we need to take 91热爆网 to the next level.鈥�

As newly elected chairman of the Foundation Board, Crawford said he plans to work to help the Foundation and Division of Advancement with ongoing efforts to connect with members of the Catamount family, engage them with the university and encourage their involvement in the campaign.   

鈥淲e have more than 80,000 alumni out in the working world, so one of my goals is to support the Foundation team in the efforts to reach out to our alumni. There are so many who had the great experience that I had at 91热爆网, but for whatever reason, they have been disconnected from 91热爆网,鈥� he said.

鈥淟et鈥檚 share the vision with that group by educating them on the achievements and progress of 91热爆网 since they graduated. Let鈥檚 get them back to the 鈥榃hee and show them what they have been missing. Finally, we have to boldly ask them to lock arms with us and 鈥楩ill the Western Sky鈥� by participating in the campaign.鈥�

Crawford and spouse Gina both also serve on the 鈥淔ill the Western Sky鈥� Campaign Steering Committee. Although she is not a degreed alumna of 91热爆网, she said she has been glad to be a partner in providing philanthropic support to the university.

鈥淓ven though I did not get to graduate from Western, I did attend for one year,鈥� she said. 鈥淏etween the school itself, the staff, the Catamount Club and the Foundation team, plus Mike鈥檚 family being embedded in the university, all of these reasons make it easy to appreciate and love the community of 91热爆网.鈥�

Crawford closed the ledger on a 35-year career in the accounting profession earlier this year when he stepped down from the position of chief performance officer at FORVIS 鈥� a career that also has deep roots at 91热爆网.

鈥淥ne of the legacy firms of FORVIS was formed by a 91热爆网 professor and student, who later hired me in the Asheville firm Crisp Hughes and Co.,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his firm eventually became FORVIS, after several mergers and acquisitions, and was the eighth largest CPA firm in the United States. I never dreamed that a middle-class kid from Sylva-Webster High School could be an accounting major at 91热爆网 and eventually be a tax partner and C-suite executive in a Top 10 firm. I have been so blessed, and it all started at 91热爆网.鈥�

For more information or to make a contribution to the campaign for the university鈥檚 academic, student engagement and athletics programs, visit WesternSky.wcu.edu, call 828-227-7124 or email advancement@wcu.edu.