Engineering Capital Campaign Goal of $175 Million Is One of Biggest Among University’s Individual Schools

The John A. Swanson School of Engineering’s campaign goal of $175 million is among the largest individual school goals in Pitt’s $2 billion Building Our Future Together campaign. As of Nov. 30, the school had surpassed $143 million, including more than $94.1 million in outright cash gifts received.

Campaign funds have enabled the school to substantially enhance scholarship and fellowship support to students, renovate and equip many of its laboratories and instructional facilities, and strengthen the resources necessary to attract and retain outstanding faculty. The campaign also has marked a turning point in the school’s history of private support. From July 1, 1998, through June 30, 2007, the total amount of outright cash support to the school exceeded $90.4 million. By comparison, the prior decade yielded only $18.6 million.

Some highlights:

• The market value of the School of Engineering endowment has nearly tripled during the campaign, growing from $27 million in 1998 to its present value of $97.5 million. The number of funds comprising the endowment grew from 78 to 168, including funds for scholarship support, facilities needs, endowed chairs and professorships for faculty, and unrestricted endowments.
• The number of donors giving $1,000 or more annually has more than doubled over the past five years, growing from just 65 in fiscal year 2003 to 148 in fiscal year 2007.
• Nearly $1 million in donor-funded scholarships and fellowships were awarded directly to engineering students during the past academic year.
• Nearly $1.25 million was generated during the past academic year through endowed chairs, professorships, and fellowships in support of the school’s faculty. During the campaign, the number of endowed chairs has grown from two to five and the number of endowed professorships has grown from nine to 19.