Campaign Recap
The Carolina First Campaign, which supported UNC’s vision to be the nation’s leading public university, began July 1, 1999, and ended Dec. 31, 2007. Its public launch came in October 2002 with a $1.8 billion goal. That mark was raised to
$2 billion in October 2005. Not only did Carolina surpass its
overall goal, raising $2.38 billion, but each professional school
and unit exceeded individual goals as well. The campaign also boasted yearly records for commitments ($363.6 million), which include pledges, and gifts ($250.8 million), both set in
fiscal year 2007.
The campaign received contributions from more than 194,000 donors, ranging from UNC students to Dennis and Joan Gillings, whose $50 million pledge to support the School of Public Health marked the single largest commitment in the University’s history. The campaign’s single largest donor was the William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust and related Kenan entities and family members. They combined to commit $69.9 million.
More than 700 campaign volunteers contributed their support,
time and expertise to make the drive a historic success.
To highlight just a few of the ways Carolina First moved
Carolina forward, the campaign:
- Brought in gifts that joined investment returns to increase
our endowment from $925.7 million to $2.2 billion, lifting
UNC five spots in the Chronicle of Higher Education’s U.S.
university endowment rankings (as of June 30, 2007). - Created 208 endowed professorships, raising our total to 547.
- Created 577 undergraduate scholarship funds, raising our
total to 1,205. - Created 196 graduate fellowship funds, raising our total to 580.
- Provided more than $100 million to support 23 major
building projects, including the purchase of Winston
House in London for a European Study Center, UNC’s first
overseas property.
Print
