Iowa State tops $1.5B fundraising goal, despite pandemic problems

For the second time, Iowa State University has exceed its “Forever True, For Iowa State” fundraising campaign goal by bringing in $1.542 billion by June 30 — thanks to 532,377 gifts from more than 96,000 donors.

The Ames campus and its philanthropic foundation in September 2016 went public with a goal of raising $1.1 billion by June 30, 2020. Two years ahead of schedule, ISU in October 2018 announced it already reached that mark and was moving its target to $1.5 billion by summer 2021.

Even with the complicating COVID-19 pandemic, ISU announced Thursday the successful end to its nine-year campaign, thanks to donors from all 50 U.S. states and 49 nations.

Other key campaign numbers:

ISU senior Madisyn Rostro was among the scholarship recipients, allowing her to study and pursue a career in museums — including through an internship as an undergraduate assistant with the Ostendorf Farm House Museum on campus.

“The internship that I was granted with the university museums has opened up the door for me, for my future, and has also confirmed that I do want to become a museum curator or director,” Rostro said in a video, noting she’s a first-generation college student.

“Without the donors and my scholarships, I wouldn’t be here at Iowa State,” she said. “And without that, I also wouldn’t be able to pursue my dreams in the museum field.”

Five years ago, ISU unveiled its massive fundraising campaign just as the University of Iowa was wrapping up its “For Iowa. Forever More” campaign that also came in over goal. The UI announced in 2017 that 272,543 alumni and friends had given $1.975 billion — surpassing a $1.7 billion goal.

All three of Iowa’s public universities in recent years have relied more heavily on alternate funding sources — including philanthropy — as state support has waned, enrollment has dropped and tuition increases have tangled with surging competition, an influx of low-income and first-generation prospects, mounting student debt and family finances complicated by the pandemic.

ISU reset its higher fundraising goal a year-and-a-half before the pandemic that forced millions out of jobs and upended the higher education landscape. Even as the endeavor comes to a close with Iowa’s campuses forging ahead into a new normal, COVID-19 continues to ravage the campuses.

“The campaign’s extraordinary achievement directly shows the generosity of Iowans and people from across the world and the dedication they have to Iowa State, especially during challenging times,” campaign chair and 1975 ISU alum Jon Fleming said in a statement.

In addition to student support and scholarships, the campaign supported novel initiatives and established 148 new funds for faculty positions.

Donors also made more than $275 million gifts or commitments to either fully or partially fund new or revamped facilities including the Student Innovation Center, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Nanovaccine Institute and Stark Performance Center.

“The historic success of the campaign is a testament to Iowa State University’s powerful impact — providing access to an excellent education, conducting innovative and impactful research, and ensuring science-based resources and programs are widely available through extension and outreach,” ISU President Wendy Wintersteen said in a statement.

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