Today at the Old Capitol on the campus of the University of Iowa, university leadership, students, and donors announced For Iowa. Forever More: The Campaign for the University of Iowa, a historic, comprehensive fund-raising campaign that will secure for future generations the University of Iowa’s status as a world-class institution. To date, For Iowa. Forever More. has raised $1.025 billion toward the university’s goal of securing $1.7 billion in private support by December 2016.

For Iowa. Forever More. builds on the university’s 166-year tradition of distinction and innovation to ensure it continues in its role as one of the top public research universities in the nation—as well the state’s premier academic medical center—with world-renowned arts programs and a commitment to exceptional undergraduate and graduate programs.

The comprehensive campaign is the most ambitious fund-raising effort in the state’s history and one of the most ambitious nationally for a public school of similar size. It builds on the success of the university’s last comprehensive campaign, which raised a then-record-setting $1.05 billion between 1999 and 2005. To date, more than 116,000 people have contributed to the current eight-year campaign.

For Iowa. Forever More. will serve to enhance the student experience while focusing on three overarching priorities: educating students to thrive in a complex, global society; ensuring a healthier and more sustainable world through discoveries in medicine, allied health fields, and environmental science; and enriching commerce, culture, and communities for Iowans through creative entrepreneurship in business, the arts and humanities, social sciences, and civic literacy and engagement.

The money raised will directly benefit students and faculty by providing endowed scholarships, study abroad experiences, leadership training, hands-on research experiences, student entrepreneurship initiatives, U.S. and international internships, endowed faculty chairs and professorships, and faculty development opportunities.

It will contribute to new and renovated facilities, including the new John and Mary Pappajohn Biomedical Discovery Building (scheduled to open in 2014); a state-of the-art University of Iowa Children’s Hospital (scheduled to open in 2016); and a new arts campus including Hancher, the School of Music, and studio spaces for the School of Art and Art History (all scheduled to open in 2016).

“The University of Iowa’s strengths are precisely aligned with some of the most urgent challenges we face as a global society, and with the additional resources that For Iowa. Forever More. will make available, the UI can develop new ways to bring its creativity and expertise to the world,” says University of Iowa President Sally Mason. “The university’s resiliency and adaptability in the face of adversity—including a devastating flood and worldwide economic crisis—have played a crucial role in refining our vision for the coming decades.”

“It is an exciting moment to publicly announce the campaign with this tremendous amount of momentum, which has been built to date through contributions from alumni and friends,” says Lynette Marshall, president and CEO of the University of Iowa Foundation. “Through the public phase of For Iowa. Forever More., we look forward to connecting thousands more generous donors with tens of thousands of students, countless programs, and numerous life-changing educational discoveries at the University of Iowa.”

Leadership gifts

A number of major commitments have been made to the campaign, including $32 million from John and Mary Pappajohn toward several priorities, including the Pappajohn Biomedical Institute and the John and Mary Pappajohn Biomedical Discovery Building; $25 million from the Fraternal Order of Eagles for the Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center; and $10 million from Jerre and Mary Joy Stead toward the UI Children’s Hospital and research at the Department of Pediatrics in the Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine. The Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust has provided $14 million toward For Iowa. Forever More. in support of several priorities, after providing transformational gifts in previous campaigns toward the Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine.

Recent campaign gifts include $25 million from the Buresh family of Cedar Rapids; $12 million from the Gerdin family of Solon; $11 million from John and Susan Strauss; $9 million from Francis “Jeff” and Muriel Jeffries; and $7 million from Stew and LeNore Hansen. Curt and Carol Lane, Leonard and Marlene Hadley, and ACT have each contributed $5 million toward the campaign.

Impact of For Iowa. Forever More.

The campaign will create additional undergraduate scholarships to help greater numbers of talented Iowa high school graduates pursue their educational goals.

Alysa Olson, a Des Moines native, vocal performance student and 2011 Presidential Scholarship recipient, says, “Thanks to the Presidential Scholarship and the generosity of others who have come before me, I will graduate from Iowa with no debt. I am also thankful for a study abroad scholarship that allowed me to have amazing experiences beyond the UI campus in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.”

University of Iowa Children’s Hospital, a resource that serves patients in all of Iowa’s 99 counties and several adjacent states, will open a new 14-story, 195-bed facility, which is being funded in part by donors like Janice and Bruce Ellig.

Janice Ellig, who serves as campaign co-chair, says, “This is a once in a lifetime chance to build an advanced facility and invest in the future of all children treated at our hospital.” The new UI Children’s Hospital is benefiting from statewide Dance Marathon student organizations as well: University of Iowa has pledged $5 million; Iowa State University has pledged $1 million; and Loras College in Dubuque has pledged $500,000.

The campaign also will increase support for student entrepreneurship initiatives. UI post-doctorate students Thomas Hornbeck and Hung Tran in the Department of Computer Science in the UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences recently launched Tutor Universe, a social marketplace for online tutoring. Hornbeck credits the Bedell Entrepreneurial Learning Lab (BELL) in the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center for providing critical support and resources during their company’s formative stage.

“Building a business from the ground up while working on our Ph.D.s was incredibly challenging. The BELL provided facilities, access to mentors, and networking opportunities to help us make our plan come to life,” says Hornbeck. A business incubator within the UI Henry B. Tippie College of Business, the BELL provides support for entrepreneurial students pursuing the creation of a startup company while attending the UI.

Phil’s Day

The For Iowa. Forever More. announcement takes place during the university’s second annual Phil’s Day, a campus-wide event that celebrates how philanthropy directly benefits the university community. Campus buildings funded in part through private donations are marked with “Phil Was Here” signs, and students and faculty wear “I Am Phil” stickers to celebrate the programs, scholarships, and faculty positions that private giving helps make possible.

About the University of Iowa Foundation

The University of Iowa Foundation’s mission is advancing the University of Iowa and fulfilling the aspirations of those it serves. The university’s dedicated contributors fund a broad array of needs, from student scholarships, breakthrough research, and life-changing health care to innovative facilities, community outreach, and global education.

The University of Iowa Foundation is the preferred channel for private contributions that benefit all areas of the University of Iowa. For more information about the foundation and the campaign, visit the foundation website at www.uifoundation.org.