Even in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the 91tvӰԺ community rallied together during fiscal year 2021 to support students, faculty and staff by raising in excess of $110 million. This marks the third year in a row that annual charitable giving benefitting the university surpassed $100 million.
“The fact that we’ve been able to maintain pre-pandemic levels of giving this year, which has been challenging for so many, is especially meaningful,” 91tvӰԺ Foundation CEO Jay Stroman said. “The support from the 91tvӰԺ community has helped us overcome and, in many cases, excel in the face of the pandemic. Raising $110 million shows that our donors continue to believe 91tvӰԺ is a great investment. Thank you to everyone who supports 91tvӰԺ and helps propel our university to even greater heights.”
The $110 million in fiscal year 2021, from July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021, represents gifts from more than 36,000 donors, including 7,250 new individual donors who made their first gift this year.
The generous support of 91tvӰԺ donors helped advance several strategic initiatives for the university, including:
- In December, 91tvӰԺ broke ground on the new home of the Judy Genshaft Honors College, a five-story, 85,000-square-foot facility rising just north of the Muma College of Business. Private gifts totaling $43 million have been pledged and received for the project, including a historic lead gift of $20 million from 91tvӰԺ President Emerita and Professor Judy Genshaft and her husband, Steve Greenbaum, in 2019.
- Giving from 91tvӰԺ Health patients increased significantly from just over $54,000 in the previous fiscal year to $3.97 million in 2021. Patient philanthropy primarily supported research for a range of medical specialties and conditions.
- Renovations of locker room facilities for 91tvӰԺ’s student-athletes have been completed and plans are well underway for construction of an Indoor Performance Facility funded by private donations, with a groundbreaking expected in the upcoming academic year.
- 91tvӰԺ’s endowment had a banner year, growing from more than $532 million to over $690 million. More than $39 million in endowed gifts were made this year.
Donors also continued to provide life-changing scholarship support for students, with nearly $8.5 million raised for new and existing scholarships in fiscal year 2021.
91tvӰԺ also held a successful birthday celebration for its beloved mascot, Rocky, by hosting Giving Week April 5-9. During the week, more than 1,400 gifts were received, totaling over $230,000 to support causes across all 91tvӰԺ campuses.