News from PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
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For immediate release: July 7, 2004
Media contact: Eric Quiñones, (609) 258-5748, quinones@princeton.edu
Annual Giving campaign raises nearly $36.5 million
Total is the second highest in campaign's history
PRINCETON, N.J. -- The 2003-04 Annual Giving campaign raised $36,488,569, with 59.2 percent of Princeton's undergraduate alumni participating. The total -- nearly $2 million more than last year -- is the second highest in Annual Giving's history, ranking behind only the $36,698,032 raised in 2000-01.
Leading the classes in dollar amount raised was the class of 1979, which contributed $6,231,979, a new 25th Reunion record as well as the largest amount ever raised by any class.
The class of 1984 also set a new record for a 20th Reunion, contributing $1,914,484. Five other classes raised between $1.54 million and $2.51 million -- 1954, 1959, 1964, 1969 and 1974.
Both the Graduate School and the Parents Fund logged new record totals. The Graduate School finished at $906,574, a 17 percent increase over the existing record, and the Parents Fund raised $1,713,846.
"I am delighted with the splendid outcome of this year's Annual Giving campaign," said President Shirley M. Tilghman. "These funds are vital to maintaining Princeton's many strengths, as well as giving us the means to embrace new fields of study. I am grateful for the steadfast and extraordinarily generous support of our alumni, parents and friends, which renews itself year after year with such positive results for our University community."
The class of 1963, coming off its record-setting 40th Reunion campaign, contributed $563,000, the highest total ever among the non-major Reunion classes. The class of 1963 and 16 other non-major classes set new bests for their classes. The class of 1928 posted 100 percent participation from its six members, and the class of 1939 topped 90 percent for the 13th time.
More than 3,500 gifts came in during the final week of the campaign, which ended June 30.
Among the youngest classes, the highest participation was attained by the class of 2002, reaching 69.1 percent. The average participation among the youngest five classes was 66.7 percent, the highest average for these classes since 1960.
"The generosity of the Princeton family and the dedication of our volunteers are the keys to our success," said James E. Crawford III of the class of 1968, who just completed his term as the volunteer chair of Annual Giving. "It has been inspiring to serve Princeton alongside so many devoted Tigers whose singular goal is to maintain the University's excellence."
Annual Giving is the yearly appeal Princeton makes to all alumni, parents and friends for unrestricted funds, which can be used immediately to meet the University's most important needs and opportunities, including faculty recruitment and retention, financial aid, and library and computer resources. Annual Giving funds allow Princeton to solve problems as they arise and to seize unexpected opportunities to further its mission.