Many first-time donors contributed to a total of 49,904 gifts and pledges
EUGENE, Ore. – (July 28, 2014) – For the seventh straight year, private giving to the University of Oregon surpassed $100 million, with increases in the number of gifts and the percentage directed toward academic purposes highlighting the year’s philanthropy.
For the 2013-14 fiscal year, 77 percent of donors made gifts toward academic purposes. Individuals, companies and foundations made 49,904 gifts and pledges totaling $115,150,868, helping propel the university’s endowment to a record level.
“I am grateful to our alumni and friends who see such value in the University of Oregon. Their generosity will help advance our institution’s position as a premier public residential research university,” said UO President Michael Gottfredson. “I'm especially pleased to see such strong growth in support of our priority areas of student access and academic excellence.”
The year’s contributions support students, scholarships, athletics, capital infrastructure, faculty and research. Donors designated commitments of $71.8 million for non-athletics facilities, faculty support and academic programming, advancement of research activities conducted at the UO, and scholarships and student aid. More than 20 percent of all who gave were first-time donors.
“It’s clear from their continued investment that our longtime donors value and believe in the academic priorities of our university,” said Michael Andreasen, vice president of advancement. “It’s also gratifying to see such high participation from first-time donors. Again this year, University of Oregon alumni and friends have shown the tremendous generosity and spirit that has always defined us as Ducks.”
Overall, strong philanthropic gains were achieved by the College of Arts and Sciences, research and graduate education. Private giving touched every corner of campus from the Oregon Bach Festival to the EMU. Gifts of $45 million were designated for the endowment, which provides a stable source of ongoing funding for scholarships, academics and other UO support. Managed by the UO Foundation, the endowment reached an all-time high market value of more than $600 million, the largest at any of Oregon’s public universities.
Steve Holwerda, chair of the UO Foundation’s Board of Trustees and a 1991 graduate, said that the year’s widespread support is deeply valued.
“Each gift acknowledges our faculty members and staff and the great work they do here,” Holwerda said. “Whether the gift goes to increasing student access, attracting and retaining faculty members, or building better facilities for learning, it’s a gift that has a beneficial impact upon all Oregonians.”
About the University of Oregon
The University of Oregon is among the 108 institutions chosen from 4,633 U.S. universities for top-tier designation of "Very High Research Activity" in the 2010 Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The UO also is one of two Pacific Northwest members of the Association of American Universities.
MEDIA CONTACT: Julie Brown, public affairs communications, 541-346-3185, julbrown@uoregon.edu
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