Our Crowdfunding Groups
FUTURE GIVING:
The campaign may be over, but you're still welcome to support this endowment! Click here to make your gift today!
_________________________________________________________________________
Update:
Due to the incredible generosity of our donors and supporters, in just one week we have surpassed our initial goal of $8,500! We are excited to announce that we will now focus on raising $16,000 (190% of our goal), which will close the funding gap needed to meet UT's $25,000 endowment minimum. For each dollar raised beyond our original goal of $8,500, Texas Spirits will match your donation dollar for dollar, up to $7,000. The success of our campaign is a testament to the impact Abz had on those she knew. Help us preserve the legacy of this remarkable woman!
_________________________________________________________________________
In November of 2016, Abz Zeitler, an extraordinary leader, cherished daughter, and beloved friend, took her own life. Created to remember her life and leadership, the Abigail “Abz” Zeitler Memorial Fund is being launched to benefit and sustain Texas Real Beauty, an organization Abz herself spearheaded. UT Real Beauty seeks not merely to remind students of their intrinsic worth but, rather, to empower students to believe in their intrinsic worth. Real Beauty means that every person has a story worth sharing. Abz wanted to change the world and did her part while she was with us; this endowment will ensure her legacy continues to unfold for years to come.
Remembering Abz.
Abz was, in every way, a mover and a shaker. Taking care of kids in Africa? Abz spent multiple summers working with local communities in Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. Championing women’s entrepreneurship? Abz was passionate about start-ups and advocated for the social impact branch of the Longhorn Entrepreneurship Agency. Pushing yourself to the extreme for others? In summer 2015, Abz biked over 5,000 miles with Texas 4000 to raise money for and awareness of cancer. The list goes on and on: Abz mentored freshman as a Camp Texas counselor. She worked freelance for numerous non-profits. She wrote for the Daily Texan, numerous national journals, and her personal blog. Abz served as an ESL teacher for Casa Marianella Austin. She was involved in UT Student Government, the International Office, and the Campus Environmental Center. In 2015, she served as president of Texas Spirits and directed the Texas Real Beauty campaign.
Although the many line items on her resume speak volumes to her drive and ability, Abz was so much more than any of her accomplishments- she was a classmate, a daughter, a friend. Those who knew her miss her every day.
Why Real Beauty?
The Abz Zeitler Memorial Endowment will exist in perpetuity and benefit the Texas Real Beauty initiative - a campus wide campaign founded by Texas Spirits and led by Abz in its second year. Texas Real Beauty’s mission is to empower and strengthen all students on the UT campus in their journey to authentic self-love. Texas Real Beauty was selected by Abz’s mother as the beneficiary because she wishes her daughter had been able to hear its message one more time.
Having just become its own registered student organization, Real Beauty is in a pivotal growth phase. Raising money each year for the campaign proves to be the hardest challenge to overcome. With continuous funding however, Texas Real Beauty will be able to put on more events, engage with more people on campus, and ultimately be able to reach more UT students. Moreover, Texas Real Beauty hopes to grow and become more than a yearly campaign. With an expendable budget, Real Beauty will finally have the freedom to flourish and reach its full potential.
What we’re asking you.
Abz may not be with us any longer, but this endowment seeks to ensure that her voice will outlast us all. It takes $25,000 to create an Endowment; we’ve raised almost $10,000. A successful HornRaiser will put us that much closer to making this endowment a reality.
We’re asking all those who knew Abz or who are touched by her story to make a contribution TODAY to this campaign. Every donation, every message, every share preserves Abz’s legacy and memory.
THANK YOU for your support!
FAQ's
What is an endowment?
Endowments are a sound investment in a better future. With an endowed gift, you provide permanent support for the University. Your gift is invested — never spent — and each year a distribution, like dividends on a mutual fund account, is made to your chosen program or area. Investment earnings above the dividend rate help the endowment value grow over time, to keep pace with inflation and maintain your endowment’s spending power.
What is a pledge?
A pledge is a promise to pay a specific amount over a set period of time. Pledges for the Abigail “Abz” Zeitler Memorial Endowment can be made over a 5-year window. For example, if you make a $2,000 pledge today you can pay off the pledge by making a $400 gift each February for the next four years. We will send you a reminder each year. If you would like to make a pledge today, click here.
Can I utilize my company match?
YES! Many employers sponsor matching gift programs (Apple, Google, Microsoft, etc.) and will match any charitable contributions made by employees. To find out if your company has a matching gift program, please click here.
The cost to send a bouquet of sunflowers to Abz’s home in Valapraiso, IN. Sunflowers were Abz's favorite kind of flower. They never fail to remind those she left behind of the sunny young woman they had the honor of knowing.
The number of women Abz led as Chief Haunt (president) of Texas Spirits. As Chief, Abz created a home for 162 women on the UT campus. She continued a 78-year legacy on the Forty Acres by upholding the Texas Spirits pillars of service, love, friendship, and spirit.
The cost of attending Camp Texas, a three-day orientation for freshman and transfer students at UT. Abz served as a Camp Texas counselor for three years, mentoring dozens of new Longhorns in their first few days on the Forty Acres.
The hours worth of curriculum Abz helped teach as an ESL volunteer at Casa Marianella in Austin, the only homeless shelter in Austin dedicated solely to immigrants. Abz actively gave back to her various communities.
The cost of a plane ticket from Austin to Amsterdam. Abz studied abroad there in spring 2016 and was passionate about traveling. She spent her senior year working as a study abroad peer adviser in UT’s International Office.
The funding Abz raised to bring Lizzie Velasquez in as keynote speaker for fall 2015 Texas Real Beauty programming. Abz served as the director of the campaign in 2015, setting a strong precedent for the years to come. Its theme was "Love Yourself to Love the World.”
The number of miles Abz biked the summer for 2015 from Austin to Anchorage, Alaska to raise money for cancer research. Abz rode along with other members of Texas 4000. Abz dedicated her ride to her mother, Peggy, who won a multi-year fight against cancer.
