Kent State Raises $383 Million in Record-Breaking Fundraising Campaign

Kent State University recently concluded its most successful fundraising campaign in its 114-year history. Forever Brighter was a comprehensive fundraising campaign that launched its public phase in 2021 with a goal of raising $350 million to support student scholarships, university initiatives, capital building projects and global education. The campaign ended in June 2024, having raised more than $383.2 million total. Of that, $156.8 million has been earmarked for Prioritizing Student Success, the campaign's initiative to support student scholarships and programs.

The other two campaign priority areas, Expanding University Initiatives and Building the Future, included projects, programs and initiatives to enhance student experiences and elevate Kent State's reputation as a national leader in student support, athletics, research and innovation. Philanthropic support during the campaign has resulted in the construction of Crawford Hall, the new 150,000-square-foot home for the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship on the Kent Campus, as well as an expansion to the College of Aeronautics and Engineering building and FedEx Aeronautics Academic Center, and other important capital improvements.

"As we look toward the future, we celebrate the success of the Forever Brighter campaign and continue our commitment to ensuring access and fostering completion," said Todd Diacon, Kent State's president. "I'm thrilled that we exceeded our $350 million goal. That's going to make a difference, right now and long into the future. We are all deeply grateful to the thousands of donors whose generosity is making the university Forever Brighter."

Lawrence R. and Sandra C. Armstrong, who served as co-chairs of the campaign and are major donors themselves, celebrated the success with fellow donors and friends of the university at a special event in June.

"Sandy and I have always been thankful for the role Kent State played in our lives," said Lawrence Armstrong, who earned his degrees from Kent State in 1979 and 1980. "Serving as the co-chairs for the Forever Brighter campaign allowed us to contribute to the long-term success of this awesome university, and it has been exciting to see how devoted our university community is to Kent State and its students. The support raised through this campaign will continue to elevate our reputation as a top university while making a Kent State education accessible to countless students."

Students like Ranait McGuire have received scholarship support during their Kent State journeys. McGuire, who graduated from Kent State this past May, was the recipient of a Fashion School Study-Away Scholarship that made her semester in Florence, Italy, possible.

"My Florence experience was more than I ever could have imagined," McGuire said. "I was able to fully immerse myself in the lifestyle and culture, and this will change my life forever. Being able to study fashion in a place where it is so clearly valued was a gift."

Blaine McCurdy, a first-generation college student, was a member of the Kent State Columbiana County Rising Scholars Program from middle school through attaining his psychology degree from Kent State this year. The Rising Scholars Program, one on each Kent State campus, combines mentoring with assistance from local communities and businesses to provide support for young adults beginning in seventh grade.

"I wanted to work with the Rising Scholars Program for as long as I could because it has helped me become the person I am today," McCurdy said. "This program is how I found my love of psychology and helped me choose my major."

"As we conclude the Forever Brighter campaign, we are humbled and proud to have surpassed our $350 million goal," said Valoree Vargo, Kent State's vice president of philanthropy and alumni engagement. "We are grateful to the many supporters who have given their time and contributions; we have achieved our goal of making our students' futures brighter."

The following philanthropic donations were among the gifts received from 66,310 donors during the campaign:

Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship

Ambassador Edward F. Crawford and his family donated the largest single gift in Kent State history to enable the construction of Crawford Hall, the new home for the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship, named in recognition of this gift. Crawford Hall, a 150,000-square-foot building on the Kent Campus, will open for students in August 2024 and features modern classrooms, specialty laboratory spaces and centers to provide state-of-the-art education and enable impactful business research. The formal grand opening celebration will be held at 2 p.m. on Sept. 27.

College of Podiatric Medicine

The Podiatry Foundation made a $10 million donation to support Kent State's College of Podiatric Medicine. This gift is helping to secure the financial and academic future of Ohio's only podiatry college. The gift is funding scholarships, research and continuing medical education programs within the college and, in recognition of this gift, a clinical space in the college's building in Independence, Ohio, has been named The Podiatry Foundation Foot and Ankle Clinic.

College of Aeronautics and Engineering Building Expansion

The College of Aeronautics and Engineering expanded its building on the Kent Campus in 2023 to accommodate the ever-increasing number of students enrolling in its programs. The new space opened for students for the 2023 Fall Semester and was made possible in part thanks to a gift from the Timken Foundation of Canton. The expansion added more than 42,000 square feet and includes adaptable classrooms and research labs as well areas for student engagement and hands-on learning. The building's new Henry and Louise Timken Atrium was named to honor the couple who were pioneers in flight.

Student Emergency Fund

Kent State raised more than $1 million in 60 days in 2020 in support of the newly created Student Emergency Fund to assist students who were impacted financially by the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the shift to remote learning, many students and their families faced unexpected financial challenges associated with travel, food, housing, technology needs and, in some cases, lost wages by both the student and parents. The emergency fund continues to support students in need.

Kent State Global Education Endowment

The Kent State Global Education Endowment was created in 2023 and has raised more than $5.2 million to date in support of global education experiences for students. Kent State has more than 200 global education programs in 60 countries, including Italy, France, South Korea, China, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Costa Rica, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Ghana, Egypt and many others. Once fully funded, the endowment will provide an education-abroad scholarship to every incoming Kent State undergraduate student, serving as a major differentiator for the university among public higher education institutions and leading to higher enrollment and retention rates.

Endowed Positions

Kent State has doubled its number of endowed positions to 26 during the Forever Brighter Campaign, improving the recruitment and retention of top-tier faculty, administrators and staff at the university. These positions attract talented professionals who are experts in their respective fields to educate students and lead Kent State for years to come.

"The Forever Brighter campaign placed student success, especially scholarships, as its highest priority," Sandra Armstrong said. "That commitment to student success is one of the special qualities that makes Kent State so amazing, and it's a commitment that is shared among our enthusiastic supporters. Thank you to our Campaign Executive Committee and everyone else who contributed to the success of this campaign and the brilliant futures of Kent State students who will serve as the next generation of leaders."

This campaign demonstrates the success that Kent State has had since 1991 when the university implemented its first fundraising campaign and began promoting a culture of giving among alumni and other supporters. Philanthropy has become a driving force at Kent State, illuminating a brighter future for Kent State students and their communities. More information on the campaign is available at www.kent.edu/foreverbrighter.

About Kent State University

Kent State University is the highest-ranked public university in northern Ohio on the Top Public Schools and Best National Universities lists by U.S. News & World Report. The university also holds the esteemed distinction of being one of only five institutions in Ohio to be recognized as an R1 top-tier research university by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Kent State is one of Ohio's leading public universities and a major educational, economic and cultural resource far beyond the Northeast Ohio region it has served since 1910. The university has a global footprint with eight campuses throughout Northeast Ohio, a College of Podiatric Medicine, a Twinsburg Academic Center and academic sites around the world, including New York City; Florence, Italy; and Curitiba, Brazil. Kent State offers award-winning student support services that help students succeed. Its diverse student body comprises more than 33,500 students, including more than 2,000 international students from 101 countries, and the worldwide alumni family is nearly 280,000. Kent State provides transformational educational experiences and leads with its values, which include kindness, respect and freedom of expression.

For more information about Kent State, visit www.kent.edu.

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Photo Caption:
Kent State University's Forever Brighter campaign brings in more than $156 million in support of student scholarships to help more students reach their goal of earning a college degree. The campaign raised a total of $383 million. (Photo credit: Rami Daud)

Media Contact:
Leigh Greenfelder, [email protected], 330-672-7108

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