Ohio University has raised an additional $2.4 million for its Promise Lives campaign, bringing the campaign’s total to $233.4 million, according to a presentation at Friday’s Board of Trustees meeting.
The fundraising campaign began about four years ago and as of February, OU had raised $231 million. The goal is to raise $450 million by June 30, 2015 to fund scholarships, research and professorships.
“We can begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel,” said OU President Roderick McDavis. “We would love to surpass that goal. … We feel pretty good about where we are, but we’re certainly not going to relax yet.”
McDavis added that the campaign will “continue moving forward with the same momentum” that it has.
The vast majority of funds raised — about $173.4 million — came from alumni donations, according to the presentation. Corporations, foundations, organizations and other individuals donated the remaining $60 million.
OU hopes to raise about $5 million more by June 30 to meet the campaign’s goal of $25 million raised this year, McDavis said.
“We’re really moving forward with a great deal of enthusiasm,” he said.
McDavis has been running the Promise Lives campaign since the end of Fall Quarter. Howard Lipman, OU’s former vice president for University Advancement, left in December to accept a similar position at Florida International University.
The search for a new vice president for University Advancement, who will run OU’s fundraising foundation, is underway, and OU hopes to have Lipman’s successor in place by July 1. Two finalists for the position visited OU earlier this month for on-campus interviews, and now McDavis must decide whether or not to hire one of the candidates.
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