KU First campaign total reaches $469 million

KU First: Invest in Excellence, the $500 million fund-raising campaign for the University of Kansas, has raised $469 million, Forrest Hoglund, campaign chairman, announced in September.

Counting toward the campaign's goal began in 1998, Hoglund said, and the funds will benefit a variety of KU projects and programs. He announced the latest total during a meeting of the KU First Steering Committee Sept. 20 at the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics on KU's West Campus. The campaign will conclude in 2004.

"We are very pleased that we've reached the $469 million mark," Hoglund said. "Donor response to KU First has been—-and continues to be—just tremendous. The funds we've raised so far have helped KU fill some of its top priority needs. Staff and volunteers from the Kansas University Endowment Association have contacted hundreds of donors to accomplish this, but many needs still remain and we must reach many more alumni and friends. We are determined to put forth our best effort to reach the campaign goal."

Chancellor Robert Hemenway said the outstanding success of KU First represents an excellent endorsement of KU by its alumni and friends. Through the combination of donor gifts and funds from other resources, KU is increasing its ability to grow with funds other than those provided by the state or through tuition and fees, he said.

"Not only are KU alumni and friends assisting the University in attracting more resources," Hemenway said, "but KU's faculty and staff members have been increasing their ability to attract support for the University through an ever-increasing amount of research grants."

The $469 million raised through KU First, combined with more than $516 million accumulated by the KU Center for Research during the past four years, puts the total of new money raised for the University during the campaign at nearly $1 billion.

"Through these efforts almost $1 billion has flowed into the Kansas economy, which demonstrates the economic development generated by a strong research university," Hemenway said.

While KU Endowment raises and administers gifts from private donors, the KU Center for Research negotiates and administers all federal and sponsored support for research, instructional and service projects on the Lawrence campus. Such funds differ from philanthropic donations because they are obtained through competitive grants and awards for specific projects.

Hemenway predicts that the two organizations will exceed a combined $1 billion in funding during the five-year campaign.

"By the time KU First concludes in 2004, KUCR and KU Endowment together will easily top the $1 billion mark for income benefiting KU," he said.

KU First, the third and largest fund-raising campaign in KU history, has raised financial support for 15 construction projects on three KU campuses, more than 230 new scholarship funds and 41 new professorship funds. An additional 74 scholarships and 14 professorships have been pledged through estate gifts.

New construction projects funded through the campaign include Eaton Hall for the School of Engineering; Regnier Hall at the KU Edwards Campus in Overland Park; the new Kansas Public Radio building; the Dole Institute of Politics; the Hoglund Brain Imaging Center at KU Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan.; and a new Hall Center for the Humanities building that will incorporate the 1887 KU Powerhouse into the design.

KU First also is well on the way to meeting its goal of raising $116 million to directly assist students. Scholarship funds totaling more than $77 million have been established since the campaign began July 1, 1998. The scholarships will benefit students in environmental engineering, study abroad, women in mathematics, Native American scholars and first-generation college students, to name only a few.

New professorships have been established in areas such as macroeconomics, community geriatrics and Kansas law. Professorships provide salary stipends on top of a professor's state salary, as well as money for equipment, research, graduate assistants, travel and professional development. Many of the professorship funds have been eligible for additional support through the Kansas Partnership for Faculty of Distinction. Established by the Kansas Legislature in 2000, the program has supplemented 22 of the new professorships with more than $438,000 for KU.

KU Endowment is conducting KU First on behalf of KU through 2004 to raise funds for scholarships, fellowships, professorships, capital projects and program support. KU Endowment is an independent, nonprofit organization serving as the official fund-raising and fund-management organization for KU.