We are excited to share that JFSG client Valdosta State University announced this week that its comprehensive capital campaign, Invest. Ignite. Inspire: The Campaign for Valdosta State University, has surpassed its goal of $53,250,000 more than 14 months ahead of schedule. Gifts and pledges to the campaign, which started on July 1, 2014, currently total $53,304,303. More than 13,000 individual donors have made 25,007 gifts to the campaign so far.
This is the university’s first-ever comprehensive capital campaign. The year before the campaign launched, Valdosta State raised $2.5 million in private support, which pales in comparison to what they are raising now.
“When this campaign was launched, there were several people who wondered if Valdosta State University could raise this amount of money,” said President Richard Carvajal. “Thanks to our campaign leadership and the leadership of the Valdosta State University Foundation Board of Trustees, we have proven that VSU can raise significant money.“
The five-year campaign is not scheduled to end until June 30, 2019.
“More than half of the funds committed to the campaign have been earmarked for student scholarships. Hitting the goal more than a year in advance of the campaign end date gives us a great opportunity to focus on those campaign projects that are lagging behind our success in raising scholarship dollars,” said John D. Crawford, vice president for University Advancement and chief executive officer of the Valdosta State University Foundation.
Scholarship donations have made an immediate impact on VSU students, as more than $1.1 million in scholarship support was awarded to 608 VSU students during the 2017-2018 academic year. That is double the amount and number of scholarships awarded just five years ago.
Congratulations VSU team! We are proud of your hard work and dedication to the campaign! Keep building on your momentum through 2018 and beyond.