Air University Foundation enhances mission with financial support Published Jan. 19, 2010 By Carl Bergquist Dispatch staff writer MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- "The Air University Foundation has only one objective," says its executive director, Joe Panza, who retired from the Air Force as a colonel. "The foundation's sole purpose is to provide financial resources to Air University when appropriated funds are not available, preventing funding of programs and initiatives that enhance the university's mission of delivering the finest professional military education in the world," said Mr. Panza. "We like to think that the financial resources we make available to AU help the university to achieve an extra measure of excellence," he said. "In spite of a tough economic environment the past couple of years, we still managed to have our second-best fundraising year in 2009," said Mr. Panza. "Thanks to the generosity of many AU alumni, retirees and various corporate and foundation sources, we were able to provide more than $100,000 in support of AU programs the past couple of years; we hope to do even better in the future," he said. Some of the programs supported by the foundation were the Air War College's National Security Forum and its NSF Alumni Outreach program; Air Command and Staff College's Gathering of Eagles program; the development and fielding of exhibits and displays at the Enlisted Heritage Hall; Air University's Blue Dart program; and a number of other important award programs that recognize superior academic achievement. "One unique program we implemented was entering into contractual arrangements with several faculty members and their publishers to bring the royalties from the future sales of their books to the AU Foundation in return for our financial support; this has been very beneficial to us and to AU's faculty members," said Mr. Panza. As the foundation enters its 16th year of service to AU, it is looking ahead to 2010. "We are working closely with Lt. Gen. Allen Peck, Air University commander, and AU's Chief Academic Officer, Dr. Bruce Murphy, to identify even more substantial requirements requiring foundation assistance in the coming year," said Mr. Panza. "One of our more ambitious objectives is to fund the establishment of one or more endowed academic chair positions. We're looking to establish chairs in the areas of cyber studies and leadership and ethics, among others," he said. "A fully endowed chair could easily require an endowment of two to three million dollars, so we will have our work cut out for us to find potential benefactors who are interested in providing this level of funding." "We have expanded our Board of Trustees to include many prominent local business and civic leaders and national corporate representatives. Our trustees are all volunteers and are totally committed to enhancing the mission of Air University," said Mr. Panza. "It's a privilege for the foundation to help Air University maintain its role as the premier military academic institution in the country; it's our way of giving something back to the university for the exceptional educational opportunities it affords to the men and women of our officer and enlisted corps throughout their careers."