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Celebrating Milestones, Building On Momentum

The Second Century Campaign achieved a milestone in September when it exceeded the halfway mark.

With unbridled support from the University community, The Second Century Campaign achieved a milestone in September when it exceeded the halfway mark.

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More than $385 million, or 51 percent of the $750-million goal, has been raised or pledged as part of the largest fundraising initiative in SMU’s history. The campaign’s public phase was launched Sept. 12, 2008, after a two-year quiet phase.
Cash receipts for the fiscal year, which ended May 31, exceeded $100 million, including gifts and payments. That amount represents the highest level of giving in the history of SMU and includes large pledge payments as well as gifts of all sizes, from $1 to more than $1 million.
In the first public-phase year, the University received 55 gifts of $1 million or more. By way of comparison, SMU obtained 113 gifts of that size during the entirety of the last five-year campaign.
Second Century Campaign achievements so far include:

Faculty And Staff Step Up

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SMU faculty and staff launched their participation in The Second Century Campaign September 3 with kickoff events throughout the day and an exuberant all-University celebration in Umphrey Lee Ballroom hosted by President R. Gerald Turner.
As of October 1, 54 percent of faculty and staff had given to the campaign, easily besting the 25 percent annual participation goal set before the launch.
Harold Stanley, the Geurin-Pettus Professor of Political Science in Dedman College, and Julie Wiksten ’78, ’92, executive director of SMU Auxiliary Services, serve as co-chairs of the Campaign Steering Committee for Faculty and Staff.

Alumni Beat Challenge Goal

The Horsepower Challenge, an end-of-the-fiscal-year drive, surpassed its goal of generating 2,000 additional gifts. A total of 2,312 undergraduate alumni gave almost $1 million.
The class of 1984 raised the most dollars and acquired the most donors of all classes between 1939 and 1998. Among SMU’s young alumni, the class of 2007 raised the most dollars and acquired the most donors.
Alumni from every class between 1939 and 2009 gave to SMU, finishing the year with a 19 percent annual participation rate.

Undergraduates Set Records

A record 840 undergraduate students made contributions to the campaign during the 2008-09 academic year.
First-year class giving rose 62 percent over the previous year, setting a record. The 35 percent overall participation rate by the class of 2009 also established a University record.
The increase was credited to The Union, a new student initiative that encourages students to donate a minimum of $20 each year from the date of their enrollment at SMU through their fifth-year reunion.

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