MSU officials announced on Tuesday that the university's three-year-old capital campaign to raise $1.2 billion in funding for academic and campus projects has passed the billion-dollar mark.
To date, the "Campaign for MSU" is about $161 million short of its total goal. MSU's last campaign raised $217.8 million.
In light of MSU's continual state funding cuts, the campaign aims to raise money in endowments for university building construction and renovation, scholarships, academic programs and research. Endowments are monetary gifts from private donors which are designated for specific purposes.
"We simply would not be able to continue excellence at MSU if we were not able to achieve the goal of $1 billion," MSU Trustee Chairman David Porteous said.
President Lou Anna K. Simon said the campaign has been successful in part because of million-dollar private gift donations from alumni as well as the continued support of faculty and staff.
She jokingly said during a press conference Tuesday that other university officials were initially skeptical when she first suggested the billion-dollar goal. But Porteous said Simon was able to make the goal possible by picking up the pace with fundraising efforts for the university.
"No challenge is impossible for her; she only sees them as opportunities," he said.
Simon said MSU was once last in the Big Ten in terms of endowments acquired, but due to the campaign, the university is now ranked seventh amongst other universities.
"People give money because they have confidence in the institution and have confidence in the future of the institution," she said.
Journalism senior LaLeah Fernandez said she wanted to put a face on the importance of contributing to the university.
Fernandez, who is raising a 5-year-old child, said she never would have been able to have the opportunity to study abroad had it not been for the Broad Scholarship - one of the many forms of financial aid that are funded in part by the campaign.
"I'm a good case for contributing to the university," Fernandez said. "It offers the opportunity for students to study abroad that would not have otherwise had the experience."
