{"id":54061,"date":"2012-01-30T08:12:43","date_gmt":"2012-01-30T13:12:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=54061"},"modified":"2012-02-01T10:17:34","modified_gmt":"2012-02-01T15:17:34","slug":"fundraising-campaign-tops-300-million-mark","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2012\/01\/fundraising-campaign-tops-300-million-mark\/","title":{"rendered":"Fundraising Campaign Tops $300 Million Mark"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Campaign<\/a><\/p>\n

The University of Connecticut Foundation announced today that it has raised $302.4 million in its current capital campaign \u2013 the largest ever in the University\u2019s history \u2013 surpassing the midpoint of the $600 million effort.<\/p>\n

The milestone was achieved in part with record donations of $25.1 million during the first half of the current fiscal year, which, as of Dec. 31, 2011, represents the most successful first six months of any year during the campaign. During this period, Peter and Pamela Werth pledged $4.5 million to the Division of Athletics for construction of a basketball practice facility. The Foundation also reported a positive trend in the number of donors, including a significant 20 percent increase among parents of current students, who responded to a challenge grant that matched their donations.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u201cWe\u2019re extremely pleased with the results, and we believe the elevated level of giving will continue throughout the new year, as our alumni and friends realize the essential role of private philanthropy in sustaining UConn as one of the top 20 public universities in the country,\u201d says UConn Foundation President John Martin. The Foundation\u2019s ambitious Our University. Our Moment.<\/em> fundraising campaign aims to substantially increase the University\u2019s endowment and to provide critical resources to support students, faculty, and programs across all of UConn\u2019s campuses and the UConn Health Center.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re delighted by the increased level of giving for the Division of Athletics in recent months,\u201d says Martin. The Foundation is raising funds for a new $30 million basketball training facility, which will be the first major construction project on campus funded entirely through private donations. The 70,000-square-foot facility will have dedicated practice gyms for men’s and women’s basketball, along with locker rooms, coaches’ offices, and areas for academic support, video analysis, sports medicine, and strength training.<\/p>\n

\u201cGreat universities don\u2019t occur by chance,\u201d says President Susan Herbst. \u201cThey come by identifying and supporting areas of excellence, and then leveraging that excellence to enhance the entire university. UConn is investing in infrastructure and in faculty and in key programs such as Bioscience Connecticut and the Technology Park, but we cannot achieve success on our own. Philanthropic support is absolutely essential to our ongoing progress.\u201d<\/p>\n

The following additional milestones for the campaign were achieved:<\/p>\n