Campaign Update

Gifts of All Sizes Truly Make a Difference for Our Students

Lisa D. Calvert
Vice President for University Relations

Creighton University is experiencing a transformational time in our history because of the heartwarming groundswell of support from you, the University’s alumni and friends.

Sometimes you ask us if smaller gifts have an impact, and the unequivocal answer to that is a resounding yes. A significant factor in the ongoing success of our Willing to Lead campaign is the broad base of support from alumni and friends at every giving level.

The campaign’s remarkable momentum is due to the record number of donors — 63,000 strong — and the fact that half of these are first-time donors. We are reaching such extraordinary milestones — $445 million to date — with gifts of all sizes.

These gifts — your gifts — have a huge impact on the University because they provide the current use funds to support scholarships and financial aid for our students. Of all the funding Creighton awards to undergraduate students for scholarships and financial aid, 92.2 percent comes from unrestricted general funds.

This year, your generosity helped us attract our largest, most academically talented freshman class ever, grow our overall enrollment to an all-time high of 7,385 and experience excellent retention rates. Your help ensures that students can come to Creighton — and stay at Creighton — to be prepared for professional distinction, ethical leadership and involved citizenship. Creighton is able to empower students to examine, engage and change the world in the Jesuit, Catholic tradition because, with your support, the University is able to provide the financial aid resources students need.

This is an exciting time of year at the University, for many reasons. The campus is bustling as students settle into their classes and their many other activities, and we just welcomed thousands of alumni for Reunion Weekend. The University is blessed to have so many alumni give back to Creighton through their reunion class gifts, which in turn help current students.

You may be hearing from one of those students soon, as our Fall Phonathon gets under way. Our student callers tell us they enjoy connecting with those who have gone before them and hearing your stories. Thank you for being so generous and allowing Creighton to pursue unprecedented opportunities for today’s students and tomorrow’s leaders.