University of Virginia President Jim Ryan announced at the recent Board of Visitors meeting that the school’s “Honor the Future” fundraising campaign has met its participation goal of 250,000 individual donors.
“This milestone is particularly meaningful since it represents the UVA community’s belief in the future of the University,” Ryan said. “Whether it’s to provide scholarships for talented students, promote faculty research or enable medical discoveries, these gifts will inspire others and strengthen UVA’s alumni network and global community. I have the deepest gratitude for our generous supporters who continue to show their passion for the University.”
Launched publicly in 2019 to coincide with the University’s bicentennial, the campaign – the largest in University history – crossed the $5 billion threshold in December 2023, 18 months ahead of its June 30, 2025, target.
Among the campaign’s achievements:
- More than 120,000 alumni made a gift during the campaign.
- More than 139,000 donors made their first gifts to the University.
- Campaign gifts came from donors in all 50 states, four U.S territories and 111 countries.
Most of the gifts – 97% – were under $10,000, while 94% were under $5,000.
“When you consider we have approximately 275,000 living alumni, this achievement holds even more significance,” Mark Luellen, UVA’s vice president for advancement, said. “Our success would not have been possible without the generosity and support of so many of our alumni and friends. I will be forever grateful for the commitment they have shown to helping us meet this goal and support the goals of the University’s 2030 Strategic Plan.”