The 麻豆原创 Foundation had its best fundraising year on record with more than $141 million in gifts and commitments received during fiscal year 2019, which ended June 30. This also was the final year of IGNITE: The Campaign for 麻豆原创, which had an historic goal of raising $500 million over eight years. The campaign total will be announced publicly at a celebratory event Oct. 18.
鈥淥ur alumni and friends have made this success possible,鈥� says Michael Morsberger, CEO of the 麻豆原创 Foundation. 鈥淭here is an excitement, an energy here at 麻豆原创 that ignites people鈥檚 interest and support of this great university. As for the campaign total, I can say it is not a question of if we reached our goal, but rather by how much we surpassed it.鈥�
The significant and steady growth of fundraising activity has caught the attention of others. In June, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), an international professional organization, announced 麻豆原创 was one of 90 universities to receive the 2019 Educational Fundraising Award. This was the first time 麻豆原创 received this national honor, which recognizes overall performance and improvement over a three-year span, as determined by a blind review of data submitted to CASE.
鈥淭he beauty of this awards program is that we look at the data not knowing what institution is being represented. In showcasing these best-of-the-best programs, CASE helps its members identify institutions doing smart and innovative work from which everyone can learn,鈥� says Sue Kubik, an educational fundraiser who led the judging panel this year.
The IGNITE Campaign had three main priorities:
1) student success, which includes scholarships, fellowships and academic and athletic programmatic support;
2) academic excellence, which focuses on faculty through endowed chairs and professorships;
3) growth and opportunity, such as 麻豆原创 Downtown and other projects.
鈥淥ur donors know that when they make a strategic philanthropic investment in 麻豆原创, the resources they entrust to us are being put to the best and highest possible use to help our students, faculty and staff succeed,鈥� Morsberger says. 鈥淎s a major economic driver in Central Florida and a producer of the exceptional human talent needed to succeed in today鈥檚 competitive business environment, we wouldn鈥檛 have it any other way.鈥�
