Donors contribute $569 million to WVU's ‘State of Minds' campaig - WOWK 13 Charleston, Huntington WV News, Weather, Sports

Donors contribute $569 million to WVU's ‘State of Minds' campaign through Sept. 30

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West Virginia University's "A State of Minds" fundraising campaign is three-quarters of the way toward its $750 million goal, the university announced Monday.

The WVU Foundation said through Sept. 30, alumni and friends of WVU contributed $569 million to the campaign that started silently on July 1, 2007, and launched publicly June 2, 2012.

"To be three-quarters of the way to our goal with over three years remaining in the campaign speaks volumes to the passion and loyalty our donors have for their beloved University," Wayne King, WVU Foundation president and CEO, said in a news release. "We are off to a great start, and fully expect the momentum to continue."

"A State of Minds" is the largest private fundraising campaign in WVU's history. It runs through December 2015. The $750 million goal is three times larger than the previous "Building Greatness" campaign from 1998-2003.

Fundraising is focusing on six university-wide campaign priority areas that align with its 2020 Strategic Plan for the Future:

  • Enhance the undergraduate student experience and global education
  • Advance the research initiative of the university
  • Enable WVU to improve West Virginia's health, economy and quality of life
  • Foster faculty excellence
  • Enhance WVU through professional and graduate education
  • Support healthcare through research, education and patient care

Major gifts announced since the campaign went public in June include a $1.5 million donation from Doug and Pam Van Scoy to the College of Business and Economics; a $250,000 gift from Greg and Carla Babe to State College of Engineering and Mineral Resources and B&E; and a number of contributions to the WVU Alumni Association to help retire its building debt, one of the association's campaign priorities.

Robert Reynolds, chairman of Putnam Investments and 1974 alumnus, and Verl Purdy, president of Cadrillon Capital and 1964 WVU graduate, are the national campaign co-chairmen. James "Buck" Harless is the national campaign honorary chairman.