UIS tops $28 million dollar Brilliant Futures Campaign fundraising goal with help of donors

The University of Illinois Springfield is proud to announce the $28 million goal for the Brilliant Futures Campaign has been surpassed. To date, UIS has gifts, pledges and commitments totaling more than $28.4 million. The campaign, which began in July of 2003, supported students, faculty, programs, and campus facilities. The $28.4 million is nearly 90 percent more than what the University raised under the previous Campaign Illinois initiative that concluded in 2000.

“Every day I am inspired by the Springfield Community and its pride in UIS. I have met a number of people—alumni and community friends—whose vision led to the founding of Sangamon State University and who continue to invest in Springfield’s own public university,” said Susan J. Koch, University of Illinois Vice President and Springfield Chancellor. “I am also heartened by those who came later and have embraced UIS. Brick by brick, step by step, UIS is growing into an excellent institution. The Brilliant Futures Campaign has helped to transform UIS into a university of substance, known here in Illinois and on a national level.”

Over the course of the campaign, 15,625 donors gave to UIS, with 8,802 of those being first-time givers, 6,389 alumni, and 1,247 corporations and foundations. Local support has been generous: 6,456 donors from Sangamon County gave over $15 million. Faculty and staff at UIS have also been generous, with an average of 170 donors contributing each year, and participation rising from 111 in FY 2004 to 221 in FY 2011.

“The tremendous response of our friends and partners has made this achievement possible,” said Vicki Megginson, Associate Chancellor of UIS and Senior Vice President of the University of Illinois Foundation. “In the first quarter of 2012, we will be closing the books. We can already see evidence of the impact our generous donors have had on UIS.”

Scholarships

Since the beginning of the campaign, many donors have responded to the need for scholarships by giving 28 new endowed scholarships, increasing the total from 56 in 2003 to 84 today. Including planned or deferred scholarships, UIS’ total number of privately funded scholarships has risen from 95 in 2003 to 183 today—a 92% increase.

As a result of scholarships given during the campaign, 484 additional students have received scholarships, many with multi-year awards. Those numbers are expected to increase even further as UIS ramps up its new Access Illinois scholarship campaign.

The UIS Brilliant Futures Campaign was co-chaired by UIS alums Julie Kellner, Bob Felker and Howard Humphrey (now deceased). Honorary co-chairs included Polly Roesch, Sergio (Satch) Pecori and Chancellor Emeritus Naomi B. Lynn.

“It was a great privilege to me as an alumna that UIS asked me to co-chair the Brilliant Futures Campaign,” said Kellner. “Our success is a direct result of many individuals--including all the alumni and community friends who have volunteered in many different ways their time and their resources.”

Other Highlights

• Since 2003, donors have added three professorships to UIS and provided funding for a faculty scholar. UIS now has one chair, five professorships, and one faculty scholar.
• The Sloan Foundation has given $1.79 million in support of online learning at UIS during the campaign. UIS has recorded increased enrollments in online classes every semester and UIS is now recognized as one of the premier online programs nationally.
• The annual giving for Student Affairs has more than tripled over the course of the campaign.
• Throughout the campaign, UIS Athletics received over $108,000 in scholarship/student support. Other private support for athletics equaled $702,350.
• Charles and Kathleen Hoogland and the Hoogland Family Foundation gave $1 million in support of The Recreation and Athletic Center at UIS.
• UIS named the Therkildsen Field Station at Emiquon, its first facility named for a donor.
• A $90,000 pledge to Sangamon Auditorium helped to create the Arts Start program for preschool children.
• The Joyce Foundation gave the Center for State Policy and Leadership over $230,000 in support of the Sunshine Project directed by UIS professor Kent Redfield, which promotes open government.
• Brookens Library received $219,000 for library enhancement.
• UIS’ Downstate Illinois Innocence Project received $178,000 in private seed funding, leading to $936,000 in federal funding.
  

The entire Brilliant Futures Campaign goal for the University of Illinois was $2.25 billion and to date the campaign stands at $2.366 billion. The 8 1/2 year campaign was one of the 20 largest ever undertaken in higher education in the country.

For more information on the Brilliant Futures Campaign, contact Derek Schnapp, director of Public Relations at 217/206-6716 or email dschn3@uis.edu.