NEWS

CHAPEL HILL -- The Carolina First Campaign at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill topped the $1 billion mark today (May 23). Chancellor James Moeser announced the milestone Friday morning at a meeting of the campaign’s 59-member volunteer steering committee. The campaign goal is $1.8 billion.

"One billion dollars is difficult to comprehend," Moeser said. "It’s important to remember that this figure represents many gifts from alumni and friends who want to help Carolina. Every gift to the campaign improves the Carolina experience and supports the work of a student, professor or program."

Moeser said two gifts received Friday put the campaign total over $1 billion. Lowry Caudill of Durham, a 1979 graduate, gave $3 million to the physical science and technology complex. John Powell of Palo Alto, Calif., a 1977 graduate, gave $2 million to establish a professorship. Powell’s new gift brings his total campaign giving to $5 million.

"This is a testament to great teamwork – by this steering committee, by our volunteers around the country, and by deans, faculty and development staff – all working very hard to tell Carolina’s story and secure gifts to the university," Moeser said.

Carolina First is a drive to make Carolina the nation’s leading public university. Private funds raised through the campaign, combined with state appropriations and $500 million in construction and renovation funds from the state’s higher education bond referendum, provide the resources needed to meet that goal.

To date, campaign donors have created 100 endowed professorships, 218 new undergraduate scholarships and 113 new graduate fellowships.

The campaign’s priority areas, with current gifts and pledge totals for each, are

• Faculty – attracting and retaining the best, $88 million;
• Students – educating the leaders of tomorrow, $137 million;
• Strategic initiatives – enriching the UNC experience, $333 million;
• Research – improving your health and quality of life, $290 million; and
• The campus – a master plan for the future, $76 million.

Adding $700 million to the university’s endowment is another Carolina First goal. To date, endowed gifts to the campaign total $417 million.

Notable campaign gifts and pledges include

• $27 million from the Kenan Charitable Trust for professorships and the physical science and technology complex;
• $25 million from an anonymous donor for genomics facilities and research;
• $20 million from Fred Eshelman of Wilmington to the School of Pharmacy for scholarships, graduate fellowships, faculty development funds and expansion of the school’s community practice sites;
• $12 million from New York investment advisor Julian Robertson and his wife, Josie, to fund a collaborative scholarship program with Duke;
• $10 million for scholarships, a lecture series and research funds in international studies from Alston Gardner, a campaign steering committee member from Atlanta; and
• $1 million from an anonymous donor to launch the Carolina Center for Public Service.
  

The campaign began on July 1, 1999, and was announced Oct. 11, 2002. The university raised $866 million during the "quiet phase" as the campaign leadership was put into place and goals were set. Carolina First ends June 30, 2007.

The $1.8 billion goal was the second largest ever announced by a public university, second only to UCLA’s $2.4 billion goal.

In January and February, Carolina raised more than any of the 21 other U.S. institutions in billion-dollar campaigns, with $23 million raised in January and $34 million raised in February.

Campaign chairs are Paul Fulton of Winston-Salem, Mike Overlock of Greenwich, Conn. and Charles M. Shaffer Jr. of Atlanta. Matt Kupec, vice chancellor for university advancement, directs the campaign.

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Web site: http://carolinafirst.unc.edu

Contact: Speed Hallman, director of development communications, 919-962-0027, speed_hallman@unc.edu