SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY'S HISTORIC ACCELERATING EXCELLENCE CAMPAIGN TOPS $600 MILLION, EXCEEDING GOAL BY MORE THAN $100 MILLION

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Aug 17, 2022, 15:58 ET

ST. LOUIS, Aug. 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 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--the most ambitious fundraising effort in the University's 203-year history--supported SLU's strategic priorities of academic excellence, scholarships, health sciences, athletics and business education.

"This is a historic achievement for Saint Louis University," said SLU President Fred P. Pestello, Ph.D. "The 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."

Led by University trustees and co-chairs Dr. Richard A. Chaifetz (A&S '75) and Rex A. Sinquefield (CSB '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 the realization of University leadership's vision for SLU: To be a global Jesuit university - 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's 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 '80)
The creation of a $10 million endowment for Humanities education
The establishment of The Taylor Geospatial Institute, 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's north campus that supports SLU's community of Jesuit priests
The under-construction O'Loughlin Family Champions Center, a 25,000-square-foot facility that will provide comprehensive interdisciplinary services to SLU's student-athletes and coaching staff

"The goal of this campaign was a bold one," said Vice President for Development Sheila Manion. "We 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."

About Saint Louis University

Founded in 1818, Saint Louis University is one of the nation's oldest and most prestigious Catholic institutions. Rooted in Jesuit values and its pioneering history as the first university west of the Mississippi River, SLU offers nearly 13,000 students a rigorous, transformative education of the whole person. At the core of the University's diverse community of scholars is SLU's service-focused mission, which challenges and prepares students to make the world a better, more just place. For more information, visit slu.edu.

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SOURCE Saint Louis University