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'Upward & Onward' Tops $93 Million

Posted on October 13, 2016
Bob Lowry

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The ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ today announced that it has raised more than $18 million in the first public year of its β€œUpward & Onward” fundraising campaign, for a total of more than $93 million raised to date. The ultimate goal is to raise $150 million during the campaign, a multiyear initiative that represents the largest fundraising effort in University history.

ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½β€™s Upward & Onward campaign began three years ago with a quiet phase, and to date a total of $93,829,295 has been raised, representing 29,687 gifts from 22,587 donors. The campaign will conclude in 2020.

In the first public year of the campaign, which began on October 13, 2015, the University raised $18,138,973 from 7,095 donors.

β€œWhen we launched the public phase of the Upward & Onward campaign exactly one year ago, we promised that this campaign would elevate and accelerate every aspect of ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½'s mission β€” education, research, service, health care, economic development, athletics, and the arts and humanities,” said ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ President Tony Waldrop. β€œI’m very pleased that thousands of our friends and donors have responded to the promise of this campaign and joined us in supporting our vision for the future of the ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½.”

The Upward & Onward campaign, named for a phrase in the lyrics of the ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ alma mater, is focused on fundraising for the University’s five strategic priorities β€” Student Access and Success, Enhancement of Research and Graduate Education, Global Engagement, Excellence in Health Care, and University-Community Engagement.

Dr. and Mrs. Steven H. Stokes are serving as co-chairs of the Upward & Onward campaign. Stokes and his wife, Angelia, are ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ alumni. She completed her business degree in 1979, and he received his medical degree in 1980. He is a practicing radiation oncologist in the Dothan area and has served on the University’s Board of Trustees since 1993, including a term as chair pro tempore.

β€œΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ nearly doubled the fundraising total of the previous year in the first 365 days of the public phase of our campaign,” said Steven Stokes. β€œThis indicates that the vision, mission and strategic goals of the University are very much aligned with the priorities of our supporters and the needs of our community.”

One of the highest priorities for the campaign is raising funds for student scholarships. During the campaign, ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ has funded and endowed 319 new scholarships for students.

The largest gift to the campaign, from businessman and longtime ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ supporter Abraham β€œAbe” Mitchell, is a $25-million challenge gift that led to the creation of the University’s Mitchell-Moulton Scholarship Initiative. Mitchell, the campaign’s honorary chairman, was named an honorary ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ Trustee last year in recognition of his service to the University.

For information on Upward & Onward, visit southalabama.edu/campaign, email campaign@southalabama.edu, or call (251) 460-7032.

About the ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½

The ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ is a global teaching and research university that provides students with an exceptional education in business, the liberal arts, education, engineering, computing, the sciences and health care. ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½β€™s commitment to student success includes small class sizes and hands-on research opportunities in 100 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree programs offered through nine academic colleges and schools. ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ offers advanced and innovative health care through the ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ Health System. 

About Upward & Onward: A Campaign for the ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½

Upward & Onward: A Campaign for the ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ is a $150 million fundraising campaign that will elevate and accelerate every aspect of ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½'s mission β€” education, research, service, health care, economic development, athletics, and the arts and humanities. Our aspirations are bold, but they are within our reach. We intend to achieve our broad vision for the future through five focused priorities that form the components of the Upward & Onward campaign: Student Access and Success; Enhancement of Research and Graduate Education; Global Engagement; Excellence in Health Care; and University-Community Engagement.

About the Mitchell-Moulton Scholarship Initiative

At the ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½β€™s 50th anniversary celebration, Abraham Mitchell announced the Mitchell-Moulton Scholarship Initiative, a $25 million matching challenge to honor the late ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ President Emeritus V. Gordon Moulton. Committed to expanding opportunities for current and future ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ students by providing them access to an affordable college education, this campaign allows ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ to build on its current base of scholarship support. This initiative marks a pivotal moment in the University’s future, as it seeks to increase the amount of endowed scholarship funds by $50 million.

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