September 22, 2000

Ohio State's "Affirm Thy Friendship" Campaign Raises $1.23 Billion

Ohio State President William E. Kirwan announced that the university's five-year "Affirm Thy Friendship" fund-raising campaign raised in excess of $1.23 billion for important university programs and initiatives (see sidebar).

In addition, the campaign--which came to its official close on June 30, 2000-- surpassed each of its individual goals in eight key areas, as well as its objective for planned gifts (see sidebar).

The public phase of "Affirm Thy Friendship" began in 1995 with an ambitious goal of $850 million. In September 1998, President Kirwan raised the goal to $1 billion, to address the need to fund emerging priorities, as well as existing ones that had grown and required additional support since the campaign's inception. In September 1999, that new goal was met and exceeded, making Ohio State one of only a handful of public universities--including the University of Michigan; the University of California, Berkeley; the University of Illinois; and UCLA--to raise $1 billion or more during a single campaign.

"Ohio State is blessed with an extraordinarily dedicated family of faculty, staff, students, donors, alumni, friends, volunteers, and leaders, all of whom have a personal commitment to helping this university to achieve its full potential," said President Kirwan. "It is their support that has made such an historic success of this campaign."

Jerry A. May, vice president for development and president of The Ohio State University Foundation, credits the success to the many partnerships created over the course of the campaign. "'Affirm Thy Friendship' was the most ambitious fund-raising campaign in Ohio State history," May said. "It was also the most successful, thanks to a lot of hard work and creative collaboration on the part of donors, volunteers, deans, faculty members, staff, and administrators."

The end of "Affirm Thy Friendship" does not, however, mean the end of the university's fund- raising efforts. With the ultimate goal of becoming one of the world's great top public teaching and research universities. Ohio State continues to build support for important new priorities, as well as for ongoing programs and initiatives across campus.

"I don't think there will be one moment of lost momentum," said Thekla Reese Shackelford, co-chair of the campaign and an Ohio State University Foundation Board director. "Striving toward being the best completely changes your way of thinking."

Contact:

Roger Addleman, director of development communications, The Ohio State University, (614) 292- 3647 or addleman.1@osu.edu.

While the dollar amounts are impressive, the true measure of the campaign's success is the real and tangible difference made in the daily life of the university and its students:

_ 493 newly endowed scholarships and fellowships were established, adding to the many forms of financial support benefiting more than half of Ohio State students--allowing the university to attract and retain an increasingly talented and diverse student body.

_ 79 newly endowed chairs and professorships were created, through which faculty and researchers can contribute to the university and the global community--making possible discoveries and advancements in virtually every discipline.

_ More than $146 million was dedicated to improve the quality of our learning environments, through new and enhanced facilities, laboratories, equipment, and technology--so that Ohio State can take its place on the leading edge of teaching, discovery, and knowledge; and so that we can provide the very best in educational opportunities and experiences for our students.

_ More than $242 million was contributed to support outreach and discovery initiatives, including 269 new endowed research and program funds that will help to create and fortify community partnership efforts, and to apply knowledge gained through research and exploration to our daily lives--improving the quality of life for all in our communities, our society, and in our world.

_ More than $35 million was contributed by faculty, staff, and students to the Campus Campaign during "Affirm Thy Friendship"--reaffirming the remarkable dedication demonstrated by those who study, teach, and work at Ohio State every day.

Other campaign highlights:

_ 1,222,271 gifts were made by 258,426 donors during the campaign--representing an average of one gift every 43 seconds of every work day.

_ Over the course of the campaign, the university's endowment grew from a market value of $493.2 million to $1,294,923,035--making Ohio State one of a handful of public universities with an endowment exceeding $1 billion.

_ The $1.23 billion in total gift receipts exceeds the total amount of gifts received during the previous 123 years of the university's existence.

Individual campaign goals achieved:

Students Speak about "Affirm Thy Friendship" Campaign impact

_ "This scholarship, and the people at Ohio State, turned the difficult and stressful decision of where to go to college into a simple one. And having received the scholarship, I've found out what Ohio State has to offer. I may not have found that out otherwise. I'm very grateful to Mr. Krimendahl and very honored to be the first Krimendahl Scholar." Christopher Minnich, Powell, Ohio; H. Frederick Krimendahl II Presidential Scholar

_ "The Presidents Club Scholarship sealed my decision to come to Ohio State. It took care of the financial burden that goes along with choosing a school."

Sabrina Lavdis, B.A., 2000, Twinsburg, Ohio; The Presidents Club Presidential Scholar

_ "The scholarships at Ohio State help attract the best students in various fields, bring them together, and support them so that they can focus on their scholastic and professional development. I enjoyed meeting my donor and the other recipients of The Kent Distinguished Scholarship, since they were people with similar interests and, in Mr. Kent's case, more experience and wisdom."

Doug Torline, B.S., 1998, Columbus, Ohio; Kent Distinguished Scholar

_ "Not only did this scholarship enable me to come to Ohio State, but it made me more aware of the college's efforts to recruit more minority students to a career in optometry, and the need for adequate eye care in underprivileged communities. Once I graduate, I would like to target my work towards those disadvantaged groups, to catch problems like lazy eye in children early, before they progress."

Kefla George, New Orleans, La.; Hazael Edward Welton Scholar in Optometry

_ "The Critical Difference for Women Re-entry Scholarship helped me to find a way to grow, even in the most adverse circumstancesÉ.I am now able to give back by working É at The Ohio State University."

Graciela Rennella, M.A., 1995, Columbus, Ohio; Critical Difference for Women Scholarship Recipient