Albrecht closing in on $200 mil goal
In just a year, USU’s comprehensive campaign has nearly reached its $200 million goal.
When USU President Stan Albrecht announced the campaign last March, the $200 million goal was set to last the duration of the campaign, until December 2010. Yet generous donations and some surprise large gifts have helped to reach the mark of more than $178 million in a year, said Albrecht.
Kent Clark, assistant to the president for development, said “I don’t think any of us could have hoped for the success we’ve had.”
The real surprise is that the campaign has reached its numbers early on, Albrecht said. He said he thought the goal would be met, as there had been an outline on how to reach it, but never this early on in the campaign. The silent phase of the campaign began in July 2003 when proper procedures were determined and those working on the campaign began securing the larger gifts. When it entered the public phase on Founders Day last March, about $100 million had already been raised, said Clark, including the funds for the Manon Caine Russell Kathryn Caine Wanlass Performance Hall.
When announcing the campaign, Albrecht set forth the theme, “Honoring Tradition, Securing Our Future: The Campaign for Utah State University.” Ross Peterson, vice president for University Advancement said they have been more aggressive with this campaign than anything before, with Albrecht and others visiting 11 cities across the nation to announce the campaign. During these visits, the group connected with many alumni who have since given back to the campaign. Many others who have seen Albrecht’s excitement and vision with the campaign and the great work USU is doing have also invested their dollars, Peterson said. Friends have been made with people we didn’t even know a year or six months ago, Albrecht said.
“That’s what Utah State is about I think, connecting with people and maintaining it,” Peterson said.
When Albrecht was put into office, the idea of a campaign had been around, but nothing had really happened, Albrecht said. He decided he wanted to push the idea forward and said the response has been incredible. USU is late doing something like a comprehensive campaign, Albrecht said, noting that the state provides money for the university to be good, but the university itself has to find other ways to be great. Peterson said he was surprised more people haven’t donated before now, but is thrilled with the amount who have with the campaign. While there have been a few large gifts, the small ones have also added up said Albrecht. More than 29,000 different people have donated, Clark said. Included in this are 900 faculty and staff who have begun doing monthly payroll deductions to contribute to the campaign, Albrecht said.
When someone makes a donation, they can designate where the money goes, Clark said. He compared himself and others who work with donors as matchmakers who let people know where help is needed and then match it up with the donor’s interests.
“We respond to what the donors want to do,” Clark said.
All the gifts may have brought the amount raised near the goal, but the campaign won’t end when the goal is met, said Peterson. Until this point, most of the money raised will be for bricks and mortar, Albrecht said. The next part will be to increase the endowment which provides money for student scholarships and endowed faculty, he said. This it at nearly 80 million, Peterson said, but by the end of the campaign they would like to see it at $200 million. These are the core needs for the university, Clark said. The big gifts don’t solve these problems and with the growth they bring to the university, they intensify them, Clark said.
“It’s a good problem to have,” Clark said.
While the money is important to the campaign, Albrecht said it is the associations that will remain that may be more valuable in the long run. He focused on the Huntsman name that is now associated with the business program. Jon M. Huntsman will continue to work with the university, Clark said, showing that every donation is more of an investment into the university itself. And these investments bring more national attention to the school, Peterson said.
“I don’t think we’re one of the best kept secrets in the West anymore,” said Peterson.
If history at other schools is an example, when you take quantum steps forward, it opens huge doors, success breeds success, Clark said.
“Our ability to succeed and exceed in this campaign is a good predicator of success down the road,” Clark said.
Both Peterson and Clark give credit to Albrecht for the success of the campaign. His work with those who have donated large gifts has been key to the campaign, Clark said.
“He has an unbelievable vision of what needs to be accomplished at this university in expanding its excellence,” said Peterson.
Clark said he was surprised when on the national rollout, Albrecht gave a different speech in each city. It was better each time because there were more success stories to tell, Clark said.
“(Albrecht) sees the power of what this can mean for students now and in the future. His enthusiasm for this is tireless,” said Clark.
Albrecht said he will announce the official numbers of the campaign at Founders Day on Saturday. While the official goal may be met at that point, Albrecht said the campaign will not end.
“We will continue on with the same commitment and aggression that we reflect in the first year,” said Albrecht.-alison.baugh@aggiemail.usu.edu