Donald Shepherd

Connections with Women's Athletics, Marching Band Keep Don Shepherd Coming Back

Donald (Don) Shepherd graduated from Michigan with a B.B.A. in 1958, but it wasn't until a few years later that Michigan Athletics and the Michigan Marching Band truly got his attention. After college, Don worked at Detroit Bank & Trust for three years before moving to California where the Wolverines and band would travel for the Rose Bowl. During one of those trips in 1971, he and his family attended a concert at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium featuring the Michigan Marching Band and the men's glee club. That experience spurred his interest to reconnect with the university, and he made a trip to Ann Arbor the following year to attend a football game in the Big House.

During that visit, he wandered over to watch the marching band rehearse. George Cavender was conducting from the tower and invited Don to join him there. After reigniting his passion for U-M through this experience, Don traveled to bowl games around the country, stayed with the band, and participated in their activities when possible. Don realized he could make an impact on campus through philanthropy, so he started his personal donor journey in 1978 by creating a scholarship for marching band students. His time spent with the program led him deeper within Michigan and opened the door to women's athletics, an area that currently houses 16 varsity teams, including Dance and Cheer, and almost 400 student-athletes. Don realized that he could have a much greater impact with those programs compared to other areas, and to date has endowed 10 scholarships for women's teams at Michigan, as well as a postgraduate scholarship for those continuing their education anywhere in the world. In 45 years as a donor, Don has also made major contributions to build both the women's gymnastics training center and the softball center, which are named after him. He has become an incredibly dedicated supporter of all women's sports at the University of Michigan.

In recognition of the 50th anniversary of Title IX, we spoke with Don about what women's athletics means to him, and his continued commitment to Michigan Athletics.

Why is supporting women's athletics so important to you?

"Supporting athletics, especially women's programs, is important because the opportunities it provides to students help prepare them for life after graduation. Athletics teaches disciplines over and above what you learn in the classroom. I've come to think that the main attributes consist of:

• Arriving early
• Giving your best
• Being prepared
• Helping others who are struggling
• Becoming a leader
• Developing time management
• Believing that mediocrity is not acceptable

"If your goal is to do the bare minimum, you won't be successful. When I was a college student in the 1950s, most women didn't work or hold full time jobs. Now, women achieve fulfilling careers after graduation, and they learn many of the professional skills needed for successful long-term careers while at U-M. These values are really emphasized in women's athletics, which provide a successful transition from being a student to being in the workplace.

"When I started endowing scholarships, I began with one for the football program. After funding that award for 10 years, I found that I could have a bigger impact working with women's teams. Too often, they didn't have competitive programs, since their facilities were inadequate. I believe it's incredibly important for women to have the same opportunities as men, and I believe we've reached that point at Michigan. Their programs and athletes are good role models, and they're not just talented, they're good students and professionals as well."

What would you say to the next generation of donors looking to support women's athletics?

"First and foremost, I would tell them to make a point of explaining why they believe that kind of philanthropic support is important and why women need that type of help in athletics. As we know, football programs generally get the most support and interest from private donors, followed by ice hockey and men's basketball.

To change that narrative, I would tell future donors that it's a fun and rewarding experience to get to know a women's team. Dedicate yourself to the team - if possible, go to watch practices and preseason exhibitions, not just games. Spend time with these women, see the teaching process and what the coaches are doing. This way, you have a lot more fun and make better connections with the team."

How have you seen Michigan support its women's sports team?

"When I got involved with Michigan women's athletics, most teams didn't have their own facilities, and if they did, they were outdated and failed in comparison to most men's facilities. Since then, Michigan has done more to dedicate itself to equality. Today, the women's facilities are equal to or above equal to the level of the men's. I am proud to have been a direct contributor to that cause."

What about your time as a student at Michigan made you want to give back?

"My desire and ability to give back were factors in my decision to make contributions. Long after I graduated, I knew there were things I could do. My interest in supporting the Michigan Marching Band was not based solely on musical interest, but I admired the way the band operated. I saw it as part of the educational process. That's what led me to Michigan Athletics and drove my passion for giving back to this community. I'd be lost if I wasn't able to continue making an impact for the programs and student-athletes I admire. For the last seven years, I have also been providing postgraduate fellowships for student-athletes going to graduate school. Most of the time they choose to attend U-M, but the fellowship allows them to go anywhere they want. Being able to help students who otherwise might not be able to go to graduate school means a lot to me."

With the 50th anniversary of Title IX being celebrated in women's athletics at Michigan and across the country, what work still needs to be done to level the playing field?

"Michigan has done, and continues to do, what needs to be done in this space; however, there's always work to improve upon. A lot of Division I teams don't have as broad a list of programs for women's athletics, but that isn't the case at Michigan. I keep supporting U-M because I have faith in them to do the right thing when it comes to gender equality in athletics. "

Do you have a favorite memory from working with Michigan women's sports teams?

"I have a lot of wonderful memories, and it's hard to pick just one. I have honestly never had a bad experience with any of the teams. I have been closest to the gymnastics, softball, and tennis programs. The only women's national championship I have seen in person was the field hockey championship game in 2001, which was amazing. I have attended several softball national championship tournaments in Oklahoma, and I stayed in the team hotel and went to events with them. I also love spending time with the women's tennis team. They would often come to San Diego for spring break, so that provided me with a good opportunity to get to know the student-athletes and coaches better. Just last fall, I invited a few former players and their families to come back to Ann Arbor and watch the football game against Maryland with me. It was a great day and another wonderful memory.

Whenever I am in Ann Arbor, I also try to spend time with the women's gymnastics team. Several of the gymnasts have taken advantage of my graduate fellowship program, and earned fellowships for anywhere between one and four years. I have a 20+ year relationship with these programs. I didn't really keep in touch with anyone from my classes after graduation, but I did keep up with my fraternity brothers. The fact that these team relationships still mean so much to me showcases how special the world of athletics is. Michigan is my first family, which keeps me coming back."