Students First Campaign Concludes Successfully; Exceeds $115 Million

By Steve Gilliam, University Relations

Contact: (336) 334-5371

Posted 7-1-09

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The University of North Carolina at Greensboro raised more than $115 million in its Students First Campaign as the five-year fund drive came to close.

University and campaign officials announced the milestone as the drive concluded on June 30, 2009. The grand total of $115,346,891 exceeded the $100 million goal by 15.3 percent, through gifts and pledges from approximately 22,000 donors.

The campaign’s two key initiatives – undergraduate and graduate scholarships and faculty development – drew the bulk of the campaign’s gifts with more than $75 million.

“Reaching our goal is an extraordinary achievement, and a tremendous testament to the generosity of our supporters and their belief in this university,” said Chancellor Linda P. Brady. “UNCG is a stronger university because of every gift that has been made to the Students First Campaign. Thousands of loyal supporters have brought us to a successful conclusion, and we are deeply grateful to them.”

University Advancement Vice Chancellor Patricia W. Stewart expressed gratitude for the campaign’s leadership to co-chairs Linda A. Carlisle and Norman and Sylvia Samet of Greensboro, and to both Chancellor Brady and Chancellor Emerita Patricia A. Sullivan, who retired on July 31, 2008.

“A great team has led the campaign, and passing $115 million in the midst of this economic downturn speaks well of the support and understanding that people feel for this wonderful institution,” said Stewart. “Many devoted individuals understood the importance of giving back – intellectually, creatively, compassionately, financially and in so many other valuable ways. Everyone’s efforts have paid off in engaging approximately 22,000 alumni, friends, corporations and foundations who contributed the funds needed to secure UNCG’s future.

“Both Chancellor Brady and Chancellor Sullivan have been dynamic leaders for UNCG in every way, and they have been very effective in their support and guidance of the campaign. This $115 million figure represents gifts from alumni and friends of the university, and every gift moved the university toward reaching our goal.”

Stewart also thanked the steering committee, campaign volunteers and the advancement staff for their efforts over the past five years.

“The Students First Campaign could never have realized such success without the countless hours and dedication of an important group of people who worked behind the scenes and side by side with our donors,” Stewart said. “They helped us plan and they rolled up their sleeves to get the job done. They understood our proud history and had the vision to look to what UNCG needs for the future.”

The campaign was launched on July 1, 2004, with a $78 million goal. That mark was raised to $100 million in September 2006, and was reached in July 2008 – a year ahead of the campaign’s end date. Its success was recognized with two prestigious WealthEngine Awards for Fundraising Excellence from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education.

Stewart reported that the campaign has created 14 new professorships, 203 new undergraduate scholarships, 42 new graduate scholarships, and 155 program funds and student awards programs. Gift totals included $57.5 million from approximately 14,000 alumni; $22.6 million from over 6,000 friends including parents; $30.8 million from approximately 1,000 corporations, foundations and others; and $4.4 million from about 1,000 faculty and staff.
Major gifts in the campaign include:

• $4 million gift from alumna Rebecca A. Lloyd ’50 of San Diego, Calif., which is providing an endowment for UNCG’s International Honors College, which has been named for Lloyd’s parents, Aubrey P. and Georgia Garrison Lloyd.

• $6 million gift from an anonymous donor, which UNCG is using to create a $4 million undergraduate scholarship fund, a $1 million graduate fellowship fund, and another $1 million to create two distinguished professorship endowments.

• $3.65 million pledge from Robert and Lissa Shelley McDowell ’68 of Seattle, Wash., to create endowments to acquire art for the Weatherspoon Art Museum and to establish the McDowell Research Center for Global Information Technology Management in the Bryan School of Business & Economics.

• $1.25 million from the C.D. Spangler Foundation to fully endow a new, $1 million distinguished professorship and to provide $250,000 in matching funds to help create another professorship.

The campaign has received gifts of $61.9 million toward a goal of $66.26 million for student support. The goal includes $61.31 million for undergraduate and graduate scholarships, $3.8 million for international education, and $1.15 million for the Communication Across the Curriculum program.
Other major areas in the campaign are:

• Attracting and retaining excellent faculty, with $13.5 million raised. The goal was $10.14 million. The target includes $4.6 million for Excellence Professorships, $2.84 million for faculty development and $1.7 million for Jackson Library, and $1 million for guest artists and lectures.

• Building an exceptional learning environment, with $32.2 million raised.

• Research and service support, with $4.1 million raised toward a $7.5 million goal.

Although the five-year drive is complete, planning has already begun for UNCG’s next campaign. The need for undergraduate and graduate scholarships and faculty development will not drop off in the future.

“We started The Students First Campaign because UNCG needs new endowments for undergraduate and graduate scholarships,” said Stewart. “Through the campaign, many individuals have made an impact on the lives of our students, faculty and community. Their individual efforts have empowered students to excel, assisted faculty in groundbreaking research, and literally reshaped the physical landscape of our campus.

“As UNCG’s student body continues to grow, the need for new endowments will grow along with it, as we compete to recruit the best students and in assisting the neediest of North Carolina’s students. Keeping plans moving for our next campaign is a necessity.”

Exceeding campaign goals is nothing new for UNCG. The Second Century Campaign for UNCG, completed in 1998, raised $55.4 million and surpassed its goal of $42.5 million. Earlier, the Prospectus III Campaign passed its $12 million goal to conclude with $13.5 million in 1984.