Message from the Campaign Chair
The Power of Endowment
As Creighton University President the Rev. John P. Schlegel, S.J., has often remarked, this is a transformational moment in Creighton’s history. Indeed, great things are afoot.
As alumni and friends, we should be justly proud of Creighton’s latest class. This group of 965 freshmen excelled both in and out of the classroom during their high school careers.
In fact, their high school academic profile ranks Creighton in the top five among private Midwestern universities with enrollments of 3,000 or more. This class is in good company with the likes of the University of Chicago, Northwestern, Notre Dame and Washington University (St. Louis).
Of course, to continue to attract this kind of student profile to Creighton means we also need to keep pace with our peer universities in terms of scholarship and student aid, whether it be merit-based or need-based. And, of course, the ability of Creighton to do that is directly related to the strength and magnitude of our Endowment Fund.
We should all be pleased and proud that Creighton has been growing its endowment over time, but we should all also be cognizant that it is still not what it needs to be. Creighton’s current endowment resources are smaller than most of the peer institutions with which we compete for students and with which we are compared for excellence. WILLING TO LEAD: THE CAMPAIGN FOR CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY calls for growing our Endowment Fund to at least $500 million in the near future. That translates to raising a minimum of $150 million in this critically important area. Endowment equates to endurance — now and in the future.
Large endowments separate the great universities from all others, allowing them to maintain their leading edge. Invested wisely, such endowments ensure sustained excellence over the long term through new high-profile programs, state-of-the-art technologies and reserves for operating expenses. A robust endowment is a sign of long-term fiscal health and vitality for every university and academic medical center.
WILLING TO LEAD: THE CAMPAIGN FOR CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY also seeks endowment funding for deanships, chairs and professorships across all colleges and schools. This support is critical to retaining our leading faculty and attracting new scholars, who make an indelible mark on the educational experience we provide and our reputation for excellence.
Endowment funds provide the University with the flexibility to recruit faculty according to timely needs. Well-known visiting chairs and professors can jump-start new programs and enhance scholarship and research in critical areas.
Through THE CAMPAIGN FOR CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY, we also seek endowment support for biomedical research and education. Endowment funds to support expanded recruitment efforts for research scientists will make it possible for Creighton to attract additional external funding for research. New endowments will allow the University to enhance its ability to invest strategically in areas that could lead to new treatments and cures.
On the following pages, you can read about a few of our campaign success stories, including a new endowed chair in medicine and another in dentistry, as well as a student grateful for the support his scholarship provides. These stories are an inspiration for the entire Creighton community, as we rally support for THE CAMPAIGN FOR CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY.
Every gift — no matter the size — is important to the success of the University. When considered collectively, gifts to the Sustaining Gifts campaign goal of $30 million will represent one of the largest gifts in THE CAMPAIGN FOR CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY.
All of us in the Creighton University community have a unique opportunity to transform our University, to reach even greater heights. Thank you for all you have done for Creighton over the years, and thank you for all you may do for Creighton University in the future.
Bruce Rohde, BSBA’71, JD’73
National Campaign Chair
For more information, or to contribute or discuss a planned contribution to the campaign, please call (800) 334-8794 or (402) 280-2740.