When UMBC launched its first-ever campaign five years ago, some people thought our $50 million goal was a stretch. But at campaign's end, we are 30 percent over our goal, thanks to the campus community, corporations, foundations and friends who showed their support for UMBC by investing over $66 million in our students, faculty and staff.

"The success of this campaign is a major accomplishment, and we want everyone on campus to share in that," says Vice President for Institutional Advancement Sheldon Caplis. "The most heartening thing in achieving 30 percent over our goal is the number and dollar amount of major gifts, and the fact that we received tremendous support from faculty and staff who gave over $1 million (See Table 1) - that level of commitment is testimony to how people feel about this university.

"We are also grateful for faculty and staff who wrote proposals, participated in research and identified students," Caplis adds. "It really does take a village to raise this kind of money."

Caplis adds that the campaign will help all parts of the campus, from the Linehan Artist Scholars and Blaustein Public Affairs Scholars to Erickson Hall and in-kind gifts to the library, in addition to programs in science and technology (See Table 2 for Campaign Highlights).

The campaign also brought in new donors who gave at a major level. "It's inspiring that we built this cadre of supporters," says Caplis. "The challenge now is to steward those donors and to increase alumni annual giving. We hope to find new ways to get alumni back to UMBC and involved in campus life."

Table 1: Campaign Gifts Over $1 Million

Table 2: Campaign Highlights