Spring Break
SMU announces Second Century Campaign
Fundraising effort will be largest in SMU history
Meredith Shamburger, News Editor, mshamburge@smu.edu
Issue date: 9/12/08 Section: News
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Today, at 11:45 a.m., that bronze statue in front for Moody Coliseum will serve as the backdrop to the announcement of the beginning of the public phase of SMU Unbridled: The Second Century Campaign, a five-year major gifts campaign that will coincide with the centennial anniversary of the founding of SMU in 1911 and its opening in 1915.
SMU hopes to raise at least $750 million. The quiet phase of the campaign began two years ago and has already raised $317 million in commitments from 29,488 donors.
"Recognizing our first 100 years, The Second Century Campaign looks boldly to the future to build a new era of achievement," SMU President R. Gerald Turner said. "This campaign will strengthen our ability to enable the best students to attend SMU and the most distinguished faculty to teach and inspire them through challenging academic programs.
"With these contributions to the intellectual and economic vitality of Dallas, SMU will increasingly play a leadership role in supporting our region as a national center of commerce and gateway to the global community."
The Second Century Campaign will focus on endowments in three areas of the university: student quality, academic distinction and campus experience.
"While we will see new campaign endowments make an immediate impact, endowments are essential in providing long-term resources that grow over time and ensure economic stability," Turner said.
SMU has an endowment of $1.4 billion and currently ranks 54th among institutions nationally.
"Because much of the endowment is targeted to specific programs, we need additional endowment funds to support new initiatives," Turner said. "That's what this campaign is all about."
With the campaign, SMU hopes to attract "the ablest and most diverse students," according to Vice President for Development and External Affairs Brad Cheves. This goal will be achieved through an expansion of scholarship programs, such as SMU President's Scholars and Hunt Leadership Scholars.
SMU will also use the campaign to create new scholarships within different schools and disciplines, found new leadership programs, increase monetary support for graduate students and create more opportunities for students to study abroad through scholarships and additional programs.
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