VCU capital campaign raises record $82 million

By Pamela DiSalvo Lepley

Calling it a “monumental success in Virginia Commonwealth University history," VCU President Eugene P. Trani today announced $82 million in new gifts and pledges for the fiscal year ending June 30, the university’s best year on record for fundraising.

VCU is in the midst of its largest capital campaign, the goal of which is to raise $330 million by June 30, 2007.  This past year’s results bring the campaign to $282 million – 85 percent of the goal – with two years left in the campaign. 

“We have engaged the community leadership in a direct and meaningful way and they are answering with overwhelming generosity,” Trani said. 

The Campaign for VCU is composed of 20 mini-campaigns, and is co-chaired by teams from the university’s Monroe Park and MCV Campuses.

The co-chairs of the Monroe Park Campus campaigns are Tom and Vickie Snead, both alumni of the VCU School of Business. They attributed much of the success of this past year’s campaign to the vision of Richmond area community leaders.

“There is a great need here and across the country for tech-savvy business leaders and business-minded engineers,” said Tom Snead, referring to the Monroe Park Campus Addition, where construction begins this fall for a new School of Business and expansion of the School of Engineering. “The top volunteer leaders transformed the fundraising campaigns for both schools with two major gifts that totaled $42.5 million.”

James C. and Charlotte Roberts, co-chairs of the MCV Campus campaigns, said that passion and commitment to fight the war on cancer and to relieve the national nursing shortage have led to the success of their campaigns. Construction of a new Massey Cancer Center research building and new School of Nursing are two of several projects to be completed as a part of the MCV Campus campaigns.

“We are faced with two major problems in this country that we can help solve right where we live,” said James Roberts. 

For more information about the Campaign for VCU, visit www.vcu.edu/campaign.