The public phase of a comprehensive fundraising campaign led by a prominent team of volunteers was announced Oct. 16 by the University of Nebraska and University of Nebraska Foundation. The Campaign for Nebraska: Unlimited Possibilities seeks to raise $1.2 billion to meet high-priority opportunities and needs for the university’s four campuses.

Since plans began for the campaign in 2005 more than $642 million has been raised or committed toward the goal of reaching $1.2 billion by 2014.

The campaign effort for UNL is guided by a volunteer campaign committee with John Gottschalk, chairman of the Omaha World-Herald, serving as its chair. At the public announcement of the campaign he said the university has always been a special place to him.

“It was a place, when I went to the university, of great discovery and not least amongst those discoveries was discovery of self and of the difference between teaching and learning – perhaps it was there that most of my learning transpired,” Gottschalk said. “That opportunity to learn is an enormous opportunity and one that we ought to provide and make every effort to provide to every student in our state.”

Students are an important reason for the campaign. Rising costs and reduced state support make scholarship support critical to ensure all students have access to an education. Scholarship support is also needed to improve global education by giving every undergraduate an opportunity for meaningful international experiences through study abroad opportunities, internships, research or service learning.

Talented and dedicated professors help to engage students in academics and research. Campaign for Nebraska strives to increase available professorships which are proven to attract great teachers and researchers from top schools and retain the talent we have – all while increasing the overall quality of the university.

The campaign also provides the focus on opportunities to noticeably improve research and academic programs, especially in areas in which the university is already distinguished. These areas include agriculture and life sciences research, water research and policy, early childhood education, information technology, cancer research and treatment, and architectural engineering and construction.

UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman said the timing for the campaign is especially valuable because of measurable strides made in recent years and the momentum the university is experiencing across the state.

“We’re experiencing a dramatic period of achievement, and UNL is now firmly positioned among the top 50 public universities,” Perlman said.

UNL’s growing reputation for a unique undergraduate experience at a reasonable cost resulted in increased enrollment of students who on average have the highest academic credentials in the history of the university. Its reputation for research has soared, and sponsored research now exceeds $122 million – more than double from a decade ago – enabling it to establish federal centers of excellence. The Lincoln campus also continues its tradition as a land-grant institution by providing the benefits of its teaching and research across the state.

“In fashioning our goals for this campaign, we’ve stayed true to the university’s top priorities: build the quality of the educational program, advance research, and contribute to the quality of life in Nebraska so we keep young people here.” Perlman said. “I do think this campaign represents an opportunity to transform the university – to raise it to the next level – and I think we’re positioned to do that.”

The campaign is the university’s third comprehensive campaign. The Nebraska Campaign between 1977 and 1980 raised $51 million, and the last major campaign, Campaign Nebraska: One University, One Nebraska between 1993 and 2000 raised $727 million.

Learn more about the Campaign for Nebraska at campaignfornebraska.org.

– By Robb Crouch, University of Nebraska Foundation

Campaign for Nebraska

Volunteers helping guide the UNL portion of the Campaign for Nebraska are:

• John Gottschalk, Chair
• Duane Acklie
• Merle Bachman
• Robert Brightfelt
• Charles Dalluge
• Dale Hallock
• Tom Hoegemeyer
• Bob Korba
• Holly Ostergard
• Tonn Ostergard
• Lynn Roper
• Kit Schmoker
• Jim Seacrest
• Rhonda Seacrest
• Charles Wilson