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Administration

Rutgers University Surpasses $1 Billion Fundraising Goal

Date

January 22, 2015

Our Rutgers, Our Future campaign raises $1,037,056,700, creates new academic opportunities for students and faculty throughout the university

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. –  Rutgers University has successfully completed the largest and most comprehensive fundraising campaign in the university's nearly 250-year history, surpassing the campaign's $1 billion goal by almost 4 percent, Rutgers President Robert Barchi announced today.

The seven-and-a-half-year “Our Rutgers, Our Future” campaign – which formally ended on Dec. 31, 2014 – raised a total of $1,037,056,700, President Barchi said.

“The success of our fundraising campaign is a testament to the incredible vision of our more than 130,000 donors, including more than 70,000 alumni, whose generosity supports programs and initiatives in every area of our university,” President Barchi said. “Their generosity is transforming the student experience, increasing the scope of our research endeavors and helping us better serve our communities. Thanks to the commitment of our donors, we are now positioned to realize the goals of our strategic plan and transform Rutgers into one of the nation’s most prestigious public universities.”

The five-year strategic plan, adopted in February 2014 by the Rutgers Board of Governors, outlines ambitious aspirations to promote faculty excellence, improve the student experience and enhance infrastructure, among other key priorities.

The successful completion of “Our Rutgers, Our Future” on time is the latest major accomplishment under President Barchi’s leadership. Other successes include: the integration of Rutgers with most of the schools, centers, institutes and patient care units that made up the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey; Rutgers’ entry into the Big Ten and its academic counterpart, the Committee on Institutional Cooperation; and the university’s most comprehensive capital construction program in 50 years, funded in large part by the statewide bond act approved by New Jersey voters in 2012.

Highlights of the fundraising campaign include:  

  • More than $75 million in support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the largest overall donor during the campaign period.
  • $40.6 million from an anonymous donor, the largest individual contributor to the campaign. Gifts from this donor included: $3 million to create the Bennett L. Smith Endowed Chair in Business and Natural Resources; $10 million to support construction of the new academic building at Rutgers University-New Brunswick for the Rutgers Business School-Newark and New Brunswick; and $27 million for a challenge grant to establish 18 new endowed chairs in a wide range of academic disciplines, including business education and the sciences. For every $1.5 million that is raised for an endowed chair that meets the donor’s criteria, the donor will match the gift with an additional $1.5 million. A total endowment of $3 million is needed to create an academic chair.
  • $102.2 million to establish 449 endowed undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships.

“Nearly 450 new scholarships and fellowships will enable Rutgers undergraduate and graduate students to fulfill their dreams of a world-class education,” said Rutgers University Foundation President Nevin Kessler. “The more than $1 billion raised through Our Rutgers, Our Future will directly benefit countless members of the Rutgers community for generations to come. ”Nearly 97 percent of the funds raised during “Our Rutgers, Our Future” will support the campaign’s four key areas: faculty and research, students and learning, campuses and facilities, and university and community programs. (Click here for additional campaign highlights.)

Established in 1766, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is America’s eighth oldest institution of higher learning and one of the nation’s premier public research universities, educating more than 65,000 students and serving people throughout New Jersey. Rutgers’ flagship, based in New Brunswick, is the only public institution in New Jersey represented in the prestigious Association of American Universities. Rutgers University is also a member of the Big Ten Conference and its academic counterpart, the Committee on Institutional Cooperation – a consortium of 15 world-class research universities.

EDITOR'S NOTE: ATTENTION EDUCATION EDITORS, ASSIGNMENT DESKS, to schedule interviews with campaign leaders and participants, contact Greg Trevor at 848-932-0558 (office) or 732-406-7600 (cell), or Amber Hopkins-Jenkins at 848-932-0554. Please see below for details about arranging for studio time for radio and television availabilities.

iTV Fiber Information (For TV News)

Event Name:  Media News Tour
Date: January 22, 2015
iTV Contact:  Deb Andriano
Phone:  848.445.5007 x 2
Time: 11am – 1pm (1100 – 1300)

Details:

  • Single camera available for up to three guests with Rutgers backdrop

  • Format:  16 x 9

  • Loop Number:   Client will book all fiber, cross connects and satellite time with AMV Gateway (732.969.3191 x 2) using the Rutgers Fiber #131

IFB & PL Info

  • Please use the iTV IFB:       732.543.0397 
  • Please use the iTV PL:           848.445.5680

Engineering/Troubleshoot:   732.331.5620

Production Coordinator:       732.331.7501

___________________________________________________________________________________________

ISDN Information (For Radio News)

ISDN Dial-up Numbers: 

  • 732.445.7012
  • 732.445.7013

iTV Transmit Setting – (Settings can be modified upon request)

  • L2 Mono 128

Audio Codec Unit:

  • Telos Zephyr

Engineering/Troubleshoot:   732.331.5620 
Coordinator:       732.331.7501