PUBLICATIONS Inside Illinois Vol. 20, No. 19, May 3, 2001

Campaign Illinois sets university, campus fund-raising records

Sharita Forrest, News Bureau Staff Writer
(217) 244-1072; slforres@illinois.edu

Photo by Bill Wiegand Campus gateway Among new construction projects on the campus was the Hallene Gateway Plaza, the focal point of a new east entryway to the UI campus. Alan and Phyllis Welsh Hallene, UI supporters and alumni, donated the funds to construct the plaza. The plaza prominently features the stone portal from the entrance to the first University-built classroom building, University Hall.

As leaders from the UI and the UI Foundation met in Chicago April 20 at the annual Spring Gathering of the Presidents Council, they acknowledged the success of Campaign Illinois, the recently concluded billion-dollar fund-raising effort, and discussed its effects on the three UI campuses.

Only the second universitywide fund-raising campaign, at the close of the campaign on Dec. 31, 2000, gifts and pledges from faculty, alumni, corporations and other donors for all three campuses had reached $1.5 billion. The campaign surpassed the university’s goal by more than 50 percent and tripled the size of its endowment.

Cash gifts, private grants, pledges and deferred commitments totaling more than $1.1 billion were received by the Urbana-Champaign campus. More than 130,000 alumni and friends made a gift to the campus during the campaign.

"The initial goal for the Urbana campus seemed a stretch – and yet we were able to exceed it," said Chancellor Michael Aiken. "Throughout the campaign I talked with thousands of donors and they all said the same thing – they wanted to give something back to the university that had given them so much. I am grateful to our donors and I am grateful to the deans, directors, faculty and staff members and development staff both on campus and in the foundation for their efforts to ensure the success of the campaign."

One of the first billion-dollar fund drives launched by a public university, Campaign Illinois was begun in 1991. At the close of 1998, the campaign’s original end date, the campus had already exceeded its $700 million goal. The UI Foundation Board of Directors voted to extend the campaign through 2000, in order to continue to build the university’s active endowment.

Gifts and pledges to the campaign have raised the campus’s endowment from approximately $149 million to more than $589 million. Endowment is a permanent form of financial support created by investing the principal and spending the interest income for a designated purpose.

"The continuing income stream from this endowment is a very important part of our efforts to remain a leading public institution of higher learning," said Richard F. Wilson, associate chancellor for development.

"The heart of the campaign focused on securing support for people and programs," Wilson said. "Eighty-five percent of the gifts we received were directed toward these two priorities. Through the campaign, we made significant progress in terms of endowed faculty positions, merit- and need-based scholarship support for undergraduates and fellowship support for graduate students. We still have lots of work to do in these areas, but the Campaign helped us take a big step forward."

Pledges and gifts earmarked for endowment have helped create 172 new chairs and professorships, bringing the campus total to 204, according to Wilson.

Many new forms of student assistance were also made possible through campaign gifts.

More than 160 new endowed fellowship funds were created, several of which support two or more fellowships. A matching grant program also has been established whereby the provost will provide recurring funds to match the income produced by 35 new endowed fellowship commitments this year.

A merit-based scholarship fund, the Matthews Scholars Program, also was created through campaign gifts. The program offers talented undergraduates $2,000 renewable scholarships, regardless of financial need. Thus far, 125 undergraduate students have been designated Matthews Scholars.

Campaign Illinois donations helped establish 133 Generation to Generation Scholarships, $1,000 renewable awards for students with demonstrated financial need.

The landscape around the Urbana campus has benefited, too, from the campaign. The Grainger Library, Campbell Hall for Telecommunication, ACES Library, Bielfeldt Athletic Administration Building, Hallene Gateway, Japan House and Thomas M. Siebel Center for Computer Science are among the 13 new facilities or structures that have been erected with campaign gifts, some in conjunction with matching grants from the state.

Donors also have funded renovations and enhancements to many existing facilities, including Engineering Hall, Wohlers Hall (formerly the Commerce West building), Irwin Academic Service Center, Graduate School for Library and Information Science addition, Arcade Plaza and the Aboretum Ponds.

Although many donors were alumni or had other ties to the university, a portion of pledges and gifts came from donors who had no UI affiliation but wanted to support the university’s educational programs and research, Wilson said.

In addition, many faculty and staff members donated generously to the campaign. "More than 4,200 faculty and staff members have donated millions of dollars to the university," Wilson said. "The numbers show that the people who work here believe in the university and are investing in it. Some may see a particular need in the area they work in. Many want to help in the area of student scholarships. Some see their donation as supporting the arts and other cultural programs as they give to Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Krannert Art Museum, WILL-AM-FM-TV, Spurlock Museum or other specific areas. Others have supported the University Library.

"Whatever the reason, their continued support is critical and contributed greatly to the success of Campaign Illinois."

But what do you do for an encore after completing the most successful campaign in the university’s history?

"Through Campaign Illinois, we built new relationships with alumni; we identified many new friends of the university; we developed a great sense of pride among our faculty, students and alumni; we generated tremendous momentum for continued support of the university; and, in the process, we also found that there exists a remarkable untapped potential for future university support," said Sid Micek, UI Foundation president. "In all, we’ve discovered that the highly successful conclusion of Campaign Illinois represents not an end, but a new beginning."

UI Foundation announces spring gifts
Eight gifts totaling more than $10 million earmarked for programs at the Chicago and Urbana-Champaign campuses of the UI were announced April 20 in Chicago by University President James J. Stukel.

The gift announcements were part of the 25th spring meeting of the Presidents Council, the university’s highest donor recognition program which is administered by the UI Foundation, the university’s private gift fund-raising arm.

Four individuals were recognized for their gifts to the Urbana-Champaign campus.

• In honor of her husband, Nancy Tarika has made a $1.5 million gift that will create the Elio Eliakim Tarika Endowed Chair in Chemical Engineering. Elio Tarika, a native of Cairo, Egypt, arrived in the United States on the first Liberty ship that sailed from Alexandria, Egypt, after World War II. He had a long and successful career as a researcher and executive in the chemical industry, mostly with Union Carbide. He retired as chairman of the board of the Viskase Corp. The Tarikas live in Naples, Fla.
  
  
• A seven-figure gift from political commentator and columnist Robert D. Novak will create the Robert D. Novak Endowed Chair in Western Civilization and Culture in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. A 1952 UI graduate, Novak is a syndicated newspaper columnist, political commentator, co-host and analyst on several television programs, including CNN’s "Crossfire," "Capital Gang" and "Inside Politics." He also is author or co-author of five books on politics.
  
  
• A $1 million commitment from Jerry and Ann Nerad of Hinsdale, Ill., will equally endow the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics with unrestricted funding. Jerry Nerad, a 1964 UI graduate, is president of TimeMed Labeling Systems Inc. of Burr Ridge, Ill. Ann Nerad serves on the board of directors of TimeMed and is the secretary-treasurer.
  
  
• A commitment of about $500,000 from C. Donald and Marilyn Ainsworth of Chesterfield, Mo., will support the collections, services and programs of the University Library. They established the fund in memory of Donald’s first wife, Carolyn Smith Ainsworth, who was an honors student at the UI. Donald Ainsworth graduated from the UI in 1942 and later received a law degree from Washington University.