Mason’s First Major Campaign Raises
$142 Million!
Alumni help celebrate its success
More than a thousand alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends celebrated the successful conclusion of Mason’s first-ever comprehensive fund-raising campaign during an evening of festivity at the Center for the Arts on September 24. Climaxing the celebration was the announcement that The Campaign for George Mason University raised $142 million in private support, $32 million more than the dollar goal.
According to campaign chair Sid Dewberry, nearly half of the approximately 45,000 campaign donors were alumni, whose 52,000 gifts and pledges totaled $5.6 million in private support. Alumni also played an integral role in the campaign’s success through their volunteer leadership and service. Among them were Lovey Hammel, BS Marketing ’88, who chaired the George Mason University Foundation Board of Trustees from 2001 to 2003, and Ed Newberry, BA Communication ’84 and BS Business Administration ’84, who led the Alumni Campaign Steering Committee.
Through the campaign, which was publicly launched in 2002 after several years of planning, 103 endowments were established for students, faculty, and programs. In addition, campaign funds helped advance research and academic initiatives, expand student and community services, and fund facility improvements.
Propelling the total beyond expectations during the campaign’s closing months were two major gifts that were announced during the celebration:
- $3 million from Donald and Nancy de Laski to fund the expansion of the performing arts academic facilities on the Fairfax Campus. The gift brings their total campaign support of the arts at Mason to more than $4 million.
- $1 million from Arthur and Elizabeth Kellar to advance Mason’s Helen A. Kellar Institute for Human disAbilities. With this gift, the Kellars’ campaign support of the institute named in memory of their daughter totals $4.2 million.
Beyond the Campaign
Looking beyond the campaign, the university seeks support to supplement public funding for several building projects, including a new information and technology facility at Fairfax and a world-class community performing arts center at Prince William. The Campaign for Mason Students has also been initiated to strengthen and create more comprehensive scholarship packages, student programs, and library resources. Private support will continue to be sought for program and faculty assistance.
“The campaign is serving as a catalyst for new and exciting opportunities on our campuses and beyond,” says university president Alan Merten. “We are fast forwarding into an extraordinary future.”
Celebrate!
The campaign victory celebration featured a performance at the Center for the Arts hosted by CNN special correspondent and Mason’s own Frank Sesno and President Merten. It included student talent, interviews with alumni and students, and the debut of two videos. Following the performance, the festivities continued outside on the Arts Plaza with dessert and dancing.
President Alan Merten and Frank Sesno
