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sschultz@princeton.eduJuly 19, 2000
Anniversary Campaign raises record $1.14 billion for Princeton
Princeton, N.J. -- The Anniversary Campaign for Princeton -- launched in commemoration of the University's 250th anniversary -- raised a total of $1.14 billion from alumni, parents and friends, with 78 percent of all undergraduate alumni participating in the effort. These results make it the most successful fund-raising campaign in Princeton's history.
"With this extraordinary outpouring of generosity, today's Princetonians expressed their gratitude to those who came before them," said President Harold T. Shapiro, a 1964 graduate alumnus of the University, "and ensured that our campus will become an even brighter beacon of teaching and learning to future generations."
Organized around a detailed 1993 strategic plan for enhancing Princeton's renowned programs of education, scholarship and campus life, the Anniversary Campaign was launched on July 1, 1995 -- with an overall goal of $750 million to be raised over a five-year period. By November of 1998, most of the objectives in the original plan had been met, enabling the University to increase the goal and move forward on expanding financial aid for both undergraduates and graduate students and funding new academic programs in the humanities and life sciences. The achievements of the Anniversary Campaign cover a broad spectrum, from renovating such collegiate gothic landmarks as Cleveland Tower to launching ambitious multidisciplinary efforts such as the new Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics.
"The success of this campaign enables the University to accelerate into the 21st century," said President Shapiro, "Our mission is to sustain Princeton's traditional strengths and objectives while, at the same time, fostering a process of constant renewal to meet the opportunities of a new era."
More than 50,000 alumni, parents and friends of Princeton contributed to the Anniversary Campaign over its five-year span. Following University tradition, the campaign was largely a volunteer enterprise, carried out by alumni from more than 80 Princeton classes in geographic regions from New Jersey to Hong Kong. The national co-chairs for the Anniversary Campaign were charter trustees John J.F. Sherrerd of the Class of 1952, Dennis J. Keller of the Class of 1963 and Janet Morrison Clarke of the Class of 1975.
Princeton's Annual Giving effort was central to the success of the Anniversary Campaign, and in each of the past five years, Annual Giving set a new all-time record. Together, alumni, parents and friends contributed $154 million in Annual Giving funds -- unrestricted support that is essential to the University's financial stability and flexibility.
The wide range of capital gifts to the Anniversary Campaign totaled $992 million, including 60 percent for new endowment, 21 percent for construction and 19 percent for term support. "We have a specific purpose for every dollar received, and every dollar will make a difference," said President Shapiro, "The results of this effort are as provident as opening Princeton's doors wider to young people regardless of background or economic circumstance, and as practical as rewiring our dormitories, libraries and laboratories for advanced information technologies."
The impact of the Campaign has been felt in many areas of Princeton's campus and academic life, with newly constructed and renovated buildings, new scholarly programs and many initiatives to enhance the University's teaching enterprise already in place. Among the most notable achievements of the past five years:
With a total of $170 million in new funding for undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships and five years of record-breaking Annual Giving drives, the University was able to significantly broaden its undergraduate financial aid policies to make Princeton more accessible to middle and lower-income families (a move that inspired similar measures on campuses around the country); to extend its need-blind admission policy to include international students; and to keep tuition increases to their lowest rates in more than 30 years.
The University strengthened its renowned undergraduate teaching program, establishing the McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning, "venture" funds for teaching innovation and distinguished visiting professorships in teaching. Along with freshman seminars and senior thesis funds, four state-of-the-art classroom buildings were funded, including McDonnell Hall for physics, the Friend Center for engineering education, Wallace Hall for the social sciences and the expanded Woolworth Center for Musical Studies.
Princeton made an unprecedented investment in campus life, with $137 million targeted for construction and renovation of residential, athletic and social facilities, including: Scully Hall, Wright Hall and Buyers Hall dormitories; Princeton University Stadium for football, Weaver Stadium for track and field, Class of 1952 Stadium for lacrosse and field hockey, and Shea Rowing Center; Cotsen Children's Library; the multipurpose Frist Campus Center; and renovations to such landmarks as the Graduate College, the University Chapel and Patton, Blair and Little halls.
A total of $451 million was raised for academic and research programs, with a particular emphasis on newly emerging fields and interdisciplinary approaches. Major initiatives have been launched in genomics, religion, finance, environmental studies, and a number of public policy areas. New and renovated facilities include Icahn Laboratory for genomics, Bendheim Center for Finance, Bobst Center for Peace and Justice, and Berlind Theater at McCarter Theatre. Twenty-five endowed chairs were established to support the work of distinguished faculty across a wide range of disciplines, and the Princeton Society of Fellows in the Liberal Arts was organized to bring outstanding post-doctoral scholars to campus.
The access of Princeton's students and faculty to new information and ideas has been substantially expanded. Within Princeton's library system and throughout the campus, reading and study areas, dormitories, classrooms and conference rooms are being rewired for power and data transmission and equipped with electronic research capabilities essential to 21st century scholarship. State-of-the-art libraries have been funded in the social sciences, engineering, and music. A new community service center and initiatives to integrate volunteer service into academic coursework are providing students with meaningful opportunities on local, national and even international levels. Several measures are serving to widen the University's global outlook, by bringing more international students to campus and by sending more students abroad.
Among the major components of the Anniversary Campaign: Undergraduate and graduate alumni gave a total of $782 million; corporations and foundations contributed $165 million; bequests totaled $104 million; and parents of Princeton students donated $52 million.