Saint Louis University鈥檚 Historic Accelerating Excellence Campaign Tops $600 Million, Exceeding Goal by More Than $100 Million
ST. LOUIS (Aug. 17, 2022) 鈥 Saint Louis University announced today that it has exceeded its $500 million goal for Accelerating Excellence: The Campaign for Saint Louis University. Thanks to extraordinary support from its donors, who include University trustees, alumni, parents, faculty, staff, foundations and corporations, the comprehensive campaign has raised a total of $604 million.
Gifts to the campaign鈥攖he most ambitious fundraising effort in the University鈥檚 203-year history鈥攕upported SLU鈥檚 strategic priorities of academic excellence, scholarships, health sciences, athletics and business education.
鈥淭his is a historic achievement for Saint Louis University,鈥 said SLU President Fred P. Pestello, Ph.D. 鈥淭he Accelerating Excellence campaign has built momentum for our mission-driven work and created new possibilities for groundbreaking initiatives in academics, medicine, research, athletics and service. The generosity of our donors will fuel an exciting, transformative future for SLU.鈥
Led by University trustees and co-chairs Dr. Richard A. Chaifetz (A&S 鈥75) and Rex A. Sinquefield (CSB 鈥67), Accelerating Excellence launched its public phase in late 2018. Since then, the University has experienced four record-breaking fundraising years, the largest being the just-completed fiscal year 2022, in which SLU raised more than $139 million. It is followed by $119 million raised in fiscal year 2019, $98 million in fiscal year 2018 and $71 million in fiscal year 2021. Over the course of the campaign, which concluded on June 30, 2022, the University has received 98 gifts and pledges of $1 million or more.
Accelerating Excellence was designed to enable realization of University leadership鈥檚 vision for SLU: To be a global Jesuit university 鈥 one that is mission-focused, student- and patient-centered, and research-driven, working with the people of St. Louis to reimagine, transform and unify our city. Millions of dollars raised through the campaign have already been invested in every school and college at the University, providing greater resources, state-of-the-art facilities and more opportunities for SLU students, faculty and researchers. To date, Accelerating Excellence has:
- Created 416 new need- and merit-based scholarships and awards
- Enabled considerable investment in faculty recruitment, retention and development, including the creation of 36 newly endowed academic positions: 10 professorships, 7 chairs, 2 deanships, 7 lectureships and 10 fellowships
- Established 29 new research funds
- Created 19 new centers and institutes, 11 of which are research-related
Notable developments made possible by the campaign include:
- The launch of The Saint Louis University Research Institute, a focal point for growing SLU鈥檚 research capabilities and increasing research output that was created by a historic gift from Dr. Jeanne and Rex Sinquefield
- The naming of The Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business, in honor of gifts made by Dr. Richard and Jill Chaifetz
- The naming of the Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing, in recognition of philanthropic support from University trustee and alumna Trudy Busch Valentine (Nurs 鈥80)
- The creation of a $10 million endowment for Humanities education
- The establishment of , a collaboration of eight research institutions focused on innovation in geospatial science and technology, supported by a legacy investment from Andrew C. Taylor
- The building of the Jesuit Center, a new residential facility and apostolic center on the University鈥檚 north campus that supports SLU鈥檚 community of Jesuit priests
- The under-construction , a 25,000-square-foot facility that will provide comprehensive interdisciplinary services to SLU鈥檚 student-athletes and coaching staff
鈥淭he goal of this campaign was a bold one,鈥 said Vice President for Development Sheila Manion. 鈥淲e asked our community to reach higher with us to strengthen SLU for decades to come, and our donors stepped up to support the University like never before. We are grateful for their enthusiastic participation and excited for the remarkable future their generosity enables. Any breakthroughs made possible by research funded by this campaign, any scholarships given to outstanding students who go forth to serve others, not only elevate SLU, they elevate the community. Every donor to the campaign shares in those successes.鈥