Gonzaga University has been able to count on Kim Brus accounting for everything in University Advancement for nearly 19 years. As the assistant director of donor relations, she’s had eyes and hands on donations of all sizes and designations, and a significant voice in ensuring that every giver feels the gratitude of the Gonzaga community for their gifts.
Kim grew up in Spokane Valley with her parents and older brother. A graduate of Central Valley high school, she’d always been fond of dogs—to the point where she considered a future in veterinary medicine.
“I had seven or eight dogs,” she recollected, “and a cat my brother’s girlfriend brought over for his birthday against my parents’ wishes.”
Not long after high school, Kim discovered her talent and passion for artistry and got her degree in graphic design.
“I really loved it,” said Kim, “especially the animation classes.”
One summer while she was in school at Spokane Community College, Kim and her friends spent their evenings cruising past Gonzaga’s campus.
“Riverside was the classic cruising strip,” she recalled, “but the downtown streets were mostly closed down then, so we’d drive up and down Division Street, and congregate up at the Taco Bell. There’d be somewhere between fifty and sixty people up there in the parking lot. Everybody was into cars, just hanging out. That’s where I met my husband.”
It was only six weeks after her graduation from SCC that Kim started working in Advancement at Gonzaga University.
“From the jobs I had during high school, I’d gained some accounting experience,” Kim explained, “and there was a need in gift accounting. I remember in my first office that was directly under the Magnuson Theatre, and when they’d practice, dust would fall from the ceiling onto my desk. It was wild.”
Today, Kim and Shan have two children—Jacob (12) and Katie (9)—who keep them busy with basketball games and soccer matches, while the family’s two pups keep them on their toes at home (pictured above). On campus at Gonzaga, Kim has shouldered more than her share over the past year—from a heavy workload to personal loss.
“The people really make this place what it is,” said Kim. “I received notes of support from all over campus—handwritten cards—it meant so much.”
Kim’s dedication to her family, her team in Advancement, and to every member of the Gonzaga community is a blessing for which the University is truly grateful.