UT Tyler Office of Marketing and Communications

UT Tyler Inspiring Excellence Campaign Exceeds Goal

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February 1, 2013

Media Contact:  Hannah Buchanan
Editor/Writer–Strategic Communications & Media Relations
Marketing and Communications
The University of Texas at Tyler
903.539.7196 (cell)

February 1, 2013

Media Contact: Beverley Golden
Director
Marketing and Communications
The University of Texas at Tyler
903.566.7303 or 903.330.0495 (cell)

The University of Texas at Tyler raised $30.6 million in the Inspiring Excellence comprehensive fundraising campaign, President Rodney H. Mabry announced.

The campaign goal was $30 million.

“This is the first campaign of its size for UT Tyler, and the primary interest was to raise funds to increase our endowed student scholarships, increase the number of faculty chairs and professorships and support the Honors Program with full endowed scholarships,” said President Mabry.

Scholarships help the university attract high-ability undergraduate and graduate students who are more inclined to become fully engaged in the university experience. Endowed faculty chairs and professorships attract top scholars by providing research funds, salary supplements and travel funds.

The university is extremely pleased with the campaign success, especially considering the state of the economy in recent years, according to Jerre Iversen, vice president for university advancement.

When the economy turned, donors were cautious. Many donors gave smaller gifts or consistent one-time gifts, and the university is grateful for all gifts, large and small. Everyone who gave is responsible for the success of the campaign, he added.

A comprehensive campaign includes all philanthropic gifts – capital, endowment and operational – received during the span of the campaign. Gifts may be cash, outstanding pledges and documented planned gifts and serve to further enhance the UT Tyler experience.

“The people that have gone before us did a great job of building buildings, facilities and infrastructure, so we had a great ‘house’ here. What this campaign did was provide endowed scholarships, brought in faculty, brought in a better student experience, which made it more of a ‘home’,” said Dr. Larry Anderson, campaign committee chairman.

The university received 8,427 gifts during the campaign. Sixteen gift commitments were $500,000 or more.

UT Tyler gifts included:

• $13.7 million for student scholarships
• $3.8 million for faculty chairs and professorships
• $5.1 million for capital gifts
• $1.9 million for the R. Don Cowan Fine and Performing Arts Center
• $795,000 from President’s Associates
• $612,000 for athletics

Through the campaign, UT Tyler has engaged donors, old and new, who are interested in supporting the university in various ways, and it brought a wider awareness of the university’s importance to the community.

One of the 15 campuses of the UT System, UT Tyler offers excellence in teaching, research, artistic performance and community service. More than 80 undergraduate and graduate degrees are available at UT Tyler, which has an enrollment of almost 7,000 high-ability students at its campuses in Tyler, Longview and Palestine.