Support powers RIT’s present and future

There is a new spirit on campus. You see it in the exploding attendance at campus events. It is apparent in the growth in tiger-related attire traversing the quarter mile.

This renewed spirit is especially evident through conversations with enthusiastic students, faculty and staff about the positive changes made across campus over the past several years. Fortunately, this spirit is being displayed in another, significant way: there is a growing spirit of giving at RIT.

Nearly four years ago, the university officially embarked on the most ambitious fundraising endeavor in its history. Through Powered by the Future: The Campaign for RIT, the university is committed to raising $300 million for the continued growth and support of the campus and its students. The largest campaign in the university’s 175 year history, this was, and still is, an ambitious goal. But RIT doesn’t start something it can’t finish.

Thanks to the generosity of over 30,000 alumni, parents, faculty, staff, corporations, foundations and other friends, the campaign has already raised $232 million for hundreds of projects across campus.

Let’s look at some of the accomplishments of these gifts to date. We launched a new college, the B. Thomas Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences, which opened its doors in 2001 as the most comprehensive computing college in the nation. We built a new signature, 160,000-square-foot student facility, the Gordon Field House and Activities Center, which has, in just a few short months, become the center of student activity across campus.

In a less visible but no less important way, we established 145 new student scholarships and awards and four new endowed professorships. RIT added over $25 million to its endowment. These funds are supporting thousands of deserving students and quality faculty each year and are helping to build a stronger RIT.

Reaching this level of support is a remarkable achievement for RIT, and the campus community has played a big part in this success. Nearly 60 percent of RIT faculty and staff have made a commitment to Powered by the Future. In addition, parents of our current students have committed more than $2.3 million since the campaign began in 2002. Our alumni are reaching out as volunteers and donors, increasing alumni participation in giving from eight to 11 percent in the past four years. This response illustrates one of the greatest achievements—the renewed campus spirit is encouraging people to engage with the university and support it like never before.

With 13 months to go and $68 million yet to raise, there is still work to be done. Fortunately, this high level of support will clearly not end with the campaign in 2006. Rather, thanks to the renewed campus spirit, RIT friends will undoubtedly continue the growing momentum of giving throughout the current strategic plan and beyond.

This is a testament to a new spirit at RIT—a spirit of support and giving to the university.

Cauda is RIT’s interim vice president for development and alumni relations.