University of Virginia President Jim Ryan announced Thursday the school’s “Honor the Future” fundraising campaign has reached the $6 billion threshold, exceeding its original $5 billion target.
“This milestone was made possible by the generosity of more than 250,000 individual donors, our campaign volunteers and our dedicated Advancement team,” Ryan said. “Six billion is much more than a number, of course. It represents investments in critical areas of the University, from teaching and research to health care, to student access and to athletics, to name a few. This campaign will benefit our students, faculty and staff for generations to come, and I’m deeply grateful to all those who have supported our efforts.”
The Honor the Future campaign was launched publicly in October 2019, coinciding with the bicentennial of the University’s founding. The state legislature chartered UVA at its Charlottesville home in 1819, and the first class of students matriculated in 1825.
The campaign, the largest in University history, reached its $5 billion goal in December 2023, more than 18 months ahead of schedule. It has made a profound impact on students, faculty, facilities and research in Charlottesville, Wise County and Northern Virginia as it continues to advance the school into the third century of service to the commonwealth, nation and world. The campaign has also been instrumental in fulfilling the goals of UVA’s 2030 Strategic Plan.
“The achievement of this milestone reflects the generosity and vision of our loyal alumni and friends,” said Peter M. Grant II, volunteer chair of the Honor the Future Campaign. “It also represents the dedicated work of many people committed to not just reaching our aspirational $5 billion goal but surpassing it. The University stands well-positioned for the future because of their collective engagement and dedication.”
When the final numbers are in, they will tell the story of a concerted push to implement a key goal of Ryan’s strategic plan to make UVA “the best public university in 2030, and one of the very best in the world, whether public or private.”
Meanwhile, the outpouring of support from the UVA community has been demonstrated in part by funding the growth of two key areas – scholarships and faculty – strengthening foundational core priorities and upholding exceptional student experiences.
