HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The 6th Annual 'A Night with the Norse' gala made a triumphant return to Northern Kentucky last weekend. The newest music venue in Northern Kentucky, PromoWest Pavilion at Ovation, played host to the first-ever Go Norse Fund gala on the Kentucky side of the river. Norse Nation responded to this welcome change with over 350 guests in attendance. The energy and excitement in the venue led to a record-breaking night of philanthropy for the Go Norse Fund and NKU Athletics, raising over $170,000 in support of Norse Athletics.
The event was led by emcee Bob Herzog, news anchor and NKU Chase Law '02 graduate. The program began with Director of Athletics Ken Bothof providing a heart-felt toast to longtime Norse supporter Alice Sparks, who passed in 2020. A staple of the evening was Norse Volleyball student-athlete Anna Brinkmann sharing a candid account of her positive experience at NKU and announcing her return to the court for a final season in Black and Gold. The stage also saw speaking appearances from President Dr. Ashish Vaidya, Go Norse Fund Board President Keith Daniels. During the evening, Bothof was honored with the NKY Community Award by Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce CEO Brent Cooper.
"It has been almost a week since the gala took place, and we are still trying to soak in the overwhelming support for our Norse student-athletes we received from the community. This event would not have been possible without the community surrounding Northern Kentucky University and the local businesses we partnered with," said Assistant Director of Development Hannah Colvin." I would also like to thank Theresa Gastright, Go Norse Fund Executive Board Member and Chair of the Gala committee, for her commitment to this event and NKU Athletics! What a memorable evening with over 350 people coming together to celebrate the academic and athletic accomplishments of our Norse!
All support from 'A Night with the Norse' directly supports NKU Athletics general initiatives and all 240+ Norse student-athletes. Philanthropic support of the Go Norse Fund equip Northern Kentucky Athletics with additional operating revenue, which enables larger strategic investments in areas like student-athlete development, expanded recruiting efforts, enhanced nutrition, and advanced technologies to support sports medicine and sports performance.
"What an amazing night of philanthropy, togetherness and pride shown by Norse Nation. The energy in Ovation was electric and showed with the outpouring of support. It was great to have the Norse Family together for the first time since 2019," said Assistant Athletics Director of Development Derek Petruskevich.
The Go Norse Fund is proud to announce the 6th Annual 'A Night with the Norse' gala raised a total of $170,020. This record setting feat of philanthropy surpasses the previous all-time high of $107,000 raised in 2019. This night of philanthropy represented a 59% growth in event revenue. Join the exciting momentum of support from Norse Nation and enhance the NKU student-athlete experience by making a gift to the Go Norse Fund today!
Are you interested in learning more about the NKU Athletics and the Go Norse Fund? Contact Derek Petruskevich at GNFDerek@nku.edu or (859) 572-6632.
About the Go Norse Fund: The Go Norse Fund serves as the philanthropic arm of Northern Kentucky University Athletics. NKU Athletics, Go Norse Fund, and its donor membership service over 200 Norse student-athletes and 17 athletics programs in priority areas, such as: academics, nutrition, training, sports medicine, sports performance, facilities and much more. As of December 2021, NKU student-athletes have recorded 15 straight semesters at or above a 3.2 GPA. Learn how you can positively impact the NKU student-athlete experience by visiting GoNorseFund.com or donating today at supportnku.nku.edu/GoNorse.
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