Campaign for OSU prepares for "wrap-up" phase
OSU Foundation's "Powered by Orange" campaign has raised over $620 million so far
Joce DeWitt
Issue date: 10/18/10 Section: News
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It is no hidden reality that Oregon State University has undergone a major face lift over the past few months. Any student, new or experienced, can spot at least three obvious alterations that are currently being made to the school.
These changes were sparked several years ago by the OSU Foundation's "Campaign for OSU," which is now distinctive through its "Powered by Orange" insignia located on almost every banner and building on campus.
Although the campaign has been in full swing for over six years, incoming students may be unaware of the gravity of change it has instigated, and the amount of people, not limited to the campus or even the Corvallis community, that it has affected.
The campaign was born July 1, 2004 as a seven-year fundraising project with an ultimate goal of raising $625 million by spring 2011. The official website's progress thermometer illustrates that, as of Sept. 30, the campaign has raised an overall amount of $620,075,692.
"We are enjoying tremendous success with the campaign - alumni and donors have already committed $620 million to the campaign with eight months still to go," said Molly Brown, strategic communications and donor relations director. "Beaver nation has really stepped up."
With a vast amount of donations increasing from year to year, it is no wonder that the recent results are the most noticeable to the public.
"There are several buildings on campus the campaign has funded, like the Linus Pauling Science Center, the Hallie Ford Center for Children and Families, as well as the renovations made to Kearney Hall and Weatherford," said Brown.
Though the buildings may be the first thing that prospective students notice as outcomes of the fundraising, other students and staff are affected in even deeper ways.
"Over 3,000 students a year are receiving some form of donor-funded scholarship," Brown said.
As the country and state have been experiencing troubling economic times, students are one demographic that has been hit the hardest. However, through the campaign, donors have contributed enough toward students to create over 400 new scholarship and fellowship funds.
These changes were sparked several years ago by the OSU Foundation's "Campaign for OSU," which is now distinctive through its "Powered by Orange" insignia located on almost every banner and building on campus.
Although the campaign has been in full swing for over six years, incoming students may be unaware of the gravity of change it has instigated, and the amount of people, not limited to the campus or even the Corvallis community, that it has affected.
The campaign was born July 1, 2004 as a seven-year fundraising project with an ultimate goal of raising $625 million by spring 2011. The official website's progress thermometer illustrates that, as of Sept. 30, the campaign has raised an overall amount of $620,075,692.
"We are enjoying tremendous success with the campaign - alumni and donors have already committed $620 million to the campaign with eight months still to go," said Molly Brown, strategic communications and donor relations director. "Beaver nation has really stepped up."
With a vast amount of donations increasing from year to year, it is no wonder that the recent results are the most noticeable to the public.
"There are several buildings on campus the campaign has funded, like the Linus Pauling Science Center, the Hallie Ford Center for Children and Families, as well as the renovations made to Kearney Hall and Weatherford," said Brown.
Though the buildings may be the first thing that prospective students notice as outcomes of the fundraising, other students and staff are affected in even deeper ways.
"Over 3,000 students a year are receiving some form of donor-funded scholarship," Brown said.
As the country and state have been experiencing troubling economic times, students are one demographic that has been hit the hardest. However, through the campaign, donors have contributed enough toward students to create over 400 new scholarship and fellowship funds.
In its complete history, the university has never experienced such success as it currently is through the "$100 million for Students" scholarship initiative under the OSU Foundation.
In addition to students and the campus, there is another major group that is benefitting immensely from the fundraising efforts.
"Campaign donors have created 32 new endowed faculty positions," Brown said.
These new positions have brought the university's total staff members paid by donated funds to 78.
Many are also unaware of how many donors have been surpassing the million-dollar mark. According to Brown, in only six years the OSU Foundation has doubled the number of gifts of $1 million or more that the university has received.
"There have been 110 'million' gifts made to the campaign," Brown said. "Before the campaign started, the university had only received 54 'million' gifts in all of its history."
University alumni as a whole have been attracted to this flourishing campaign, with one in five having made donations to its cause.
Karen Shaw, director of diversity initiatives for the foundation, is also enthusiastic about the progress it is making and is sure to make in the near future.
"There is a total goal of $10 million aimed at diversity initiatives: $2 million for each of the four cultural centers and another $2 million for scholarships," Shaw said.
According to the campaign timeline, the project is now in its last phase titled "Wrap Up." The first phase was the initiation period and the second, a "silent" stage during which the project took off.
The third phase, beginning in 2007, was the "public" phase during which the entire community became aware through media advertising and word-of-mouth. The current phase will also bring celebration and transition once the campaign winds down.
"We'll be making an announcement this Friday about the campaign timeline and goal," Brown said.
Joce DeWitt, staff writer
737-2231, news@dailybarometer.com
In addition to students and the campus, there is another major group that is benefitting immensely from the fundraising efforts.
"Campaign donors have created 32 new endowed faculty positions," Brown said.
These new positions have brought the university's total staff members paid by donated funds to 78.
Many are also unaware of how many donors have been surpassing the million-dollar mark. According to Brown, in only six years the OSU Foundation has doubled the number of gifts of $1 million or more that the university has received.
"There have been 110 'million' gifts made to the campaign," Brown said. "Before the campaign started, the university had only received 54 'million' gifts in all of its history."
University alumni as a whole have been attracted to this flourishing campaign, with one in five having made donations to its cause.
Karen Shaw, director of diversity initiatives for the foundation, is also enthusiastic about the progress it is making and is sure to make in the near future.
"There is a total goal of $10 million aimed at diversity initiatives: $2 million for each of the four cultural centers and another $2 million for scholarships," Shaw said.
According to the campaign timeline, the project is now in its last phase titled "Wrap Up." The first phase was the initiation period and the second, a "silent" stage during which the project took off.
The third phase, beginning in 2007, was the "public" phase during which the entire community became aware through media advertising and word-of-mouth. The current phase will also bring celebration and transition once the campaign winds down.
"We'll be making an announcement this Friday about the campaign timeline and goal," Brown said.
Joce DeWitt, staff writer
737-2231, news@dailybarometer.com
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