By William Coffman, Local and Lifestyle Editor
Last week, Xavier announced an ambitious $500 million fundraising campaign entitled, “For One. For All. Forever.”
The university hosted an event last Thursday commemorating the launch of the campaign, with members of the Board of Trustees and the President’s Advisory Council present. President Dr. Colleen Hanycz spoke in detail about her hopes for the fundraising campaign and shared with attendees the campaign video, featuring notable Xavier figures such as Fr. Eric Sundrup, Vice President of Advancement Gary Massa and Dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine Dr. Steven Halm.
The video emphasized academic excellence, a feeling of belonging and the university’s Jesuit identity. Dr. Hanycz echoed these themes and spoke more about the new medical school, currently under construction.
She also spoke on the university’s new St. Peter Faber Academy, the university’s elementary academy serving preschool and elementary school students as the nation’s second Jesuit Catholic laboratory school.
“I think what excites me about it is how geared it is towards the future, and how it’s bringing really everyone, from every single department, Board of Trustees, committee and students as well to just kind of focus on one mission,” senior Philosophy, Politics and the Public major and president of Xavier’s Student Government Association Jake Galvan said.
With the goal of maintaining Xavier’s place as a leading institution in the world of higher education, the campaign claims to raise and divide money among four key parts of the university’s infrastructure.
The area receiving the most funding, $240 million, is capital investments, which includes projects like the College of Osteopathic Medicine and the proposed new science building.
Xavier’s new campaign is hoping to raise $500 million for new and existing programs.
Endowment will receive $120 million to help Xavier provide scholarships, while the Xavier Fund will get $100 million to help the university meet other areas of financial need. With the university looking to improve its ability to recruit and retain students and provide them financial support through their time at Xavier, this allocation of money will assist the university in strengthening those efforts.
Dr. Hanycz also spoke of another university initiative meant to help improve the school’s recruitment and retention. Discussing Governor of Ohio Mike Dewine’s goal of keeping Ohio students in Ohio, Dr. Hanycz announced the creation of the Musketeer Forever Scholarship. The scholarship stipulates that any Ohio high school student who graduates with a 3.5 GPA will receive immediate acceptance into the university and will be given a scholarship of $30,000 that can be renewed each year.
Outside academics, athletics will be given $40 million to help keep Xavier a competitive school in Big East competition. Xavier men’s basketball made the NCAA tournament last season a success the university is hoping to replicate this season and going forward.
As Xavier navigates issues facing higher education, it hopes this campaign will be the initiative that helps Xavier thrive as it nears its bicentennial and third century of operations.