The Centennial Campaign for UCLA, one of the most ambitious fundraising campaigns ever by a public university, has raised $5.49 billion. As UCLA enters its second century, the funds are already supporting a broad array of priorities, including student scholarships and fellowships, faculty research, and programs that enrich communities in Los Angeles and beyond.

The campaign launched publicly in May 2014 and closed in December 2019, in the midst of UCLAs 100th year. During the initiative, nearly 220,000 donors from all 50 U.S. states and 98 additional countries gave more than 574,000 gifts to advance causes across campus and in communities in Southern California and around the world.

Approximately 95% of those gifts were less than $10,000, and 81% were less than $1,000, indicating the broad-based support for UCLAs mission.

UCLA also received transformative philanthropic commitments of more than $100 million, including Marion Andersons giving for students, faculty and facilities at the UCLA Anderson School of Management; David Geffens gifts for medical student scholarships and the Geffen Academy at UCLA; Meyer and Renee Luskins giving to name the school of public affairs and build a campus conference center; and Henry and Susan Samuelis gifts to expand engineering education and research.

As we celebrate UCLAs first hundred years, the Centennial Campaign for UCLA has exceeded its goals and engaged students, faculty, friends and leaders in setting up the university for an even more remarkable second century, UCLA Chancellor Gene Block said. We are so grateful to each and every person who has participated in this extraordinary effort.

Campaign gifts cross campus, causes and communities

Funds raised through the campaign already are making a difference across the campus, including supporting students in a diverse range of fields. Such support includes humanities fellowships established by Jordan and Christine Kaplan and Ken Panzer; scholarships created by the cast and crew of hit television show The Big Bang Theory for students in science, technology, engineering and math fields; scholarships for dentistry students created by Bob and Marion Wilson; and scholarships for public health students established by Jonathan and Karin Fielding.

Steve Tisch and Shirley and Walter Wang both established scholarships for students from middle-income families; faculty member Ellen Carol DuBois donated to support transfer students; and the family of the late Bill Steinmetz, a UCLA alumnus and World War II veteran, gave to support student veterans.

Campaign giving for scholarships leveraged funds through matching challenges, such as those initiated by Miguel Garca-Garibay, dean of the UCLA College division of physical sciences, and Block, who designated student support as a campaign and continuing priority. Every new scholarship will help make a high-quality education affordable for high-achieving students of all backgrounds. UCLA already ranks No. 1 among the nations top-tier universities for enrolling low- to middle-income students, and more of its graduates move up two or more income levels, according to The Equality of Opportunity Project. During the Centennial Campaign, UCLA raised $665 million for student support.

Many other campaign gifts created endowed chairs to recruit and retain stellar faculty: Iris Cantor established the universitys 500th chair with a gift to the Iris CantorUCLA Womens Health Center, and the Ralph and Shirley Shapiro family established several faculty chairs during the campaign in dentistry, disability studies, law, nursing, pediatrics and other areas bringing the total number of chairs they have established at UCLA to more than 20.

Other donors enhanced the campus with lead gifts for state-of-the-art facilities. With the Eugene & Maxine Rosenfeld Hall for medical education, the Evelyn and Mo Ostin Music Center, the Mo Ostin Basketball Center and the Wasserman Football Center, construction has transformed UCLA during the course of the campaign. In Westwood and beyond, the arts have benefited from Marcy Carseys and Stewart and Lynda Resnicks gifts to renovate the Hammer Museum at UCLA and Margo Leavins gift to refurbish graduate art studios in Culver City.

Throughout the campaign, philanthropists supported UCLA initiatives in a wide array of fields with real-world relevance:

Alumni and friends invest in UCLA

The Centennial Campaign, which was co-chaired by Tony Pritzker and UCLA alumnus Garen Staglin, counted the contributions of nearly 220,000 donors, including nearly 127,000 first-time donors and more than 108,000 alumni donors.

I truly believe in UCLA as a unique public research institution that benefits students from every walk of life, the city of Los Angeles and the world at large, said Pritzker, who is not a UCLA alumnus but serves as a tireless benefactor and champion of the campus. Ensuring a successful start to its second century is an investment not only in the university and its students but in everyones future.

Staglin and his wife, Shari, launched the organization One Mind, which bridges gaps in mental health research and patient support, and they have been strong advocates for the UCLA Depression Grand Challenge. UCLA is leading the way in so many areas, and it has been a privilege to see alumni and friends come together to support causes close to their hearts while advancing education, research and service that change lives, he said.

UCLA makes its mark in higher education fundraising

At the time of its launch, the Centennial Campaigns $4.2 billion goal was the most ambitious fundraising goal ever announced by a U.S. public university, and UCLA surpassed that target 18 months ahead of schedule. Since then, the higher education sector has continued to see an upturn in fundraising and campaigns. According to the Voluntary Support of Education survey, giving to colleges and universities grew 6.1% in 201819.

The same survey ranked UCLA the No. 1 public university in philanthropic funds raised for 201718, and the campus was included in the Chronicle of Philanthropys special report on multiyear campaigns in April 2019. The feature highlighted the proliferation of such fundraising drives across the country, including at several other high-profile institutions across Los Angeles.

In a philanthropic landscape overflowing with opportunities to give, the success of the Centennial Campaign for UCLA speaks to donors generosity and their belief in UCLAs mission, said Rhea Turteltaub, UCLAs vice chancellor for external affairs. We take the responsibility to steward their trust very seriously, and we will continue working to ensure students access to education, secure resources for research and deliver on our commitment to public service every day.

To view campaign results, read stories about gifts and beneficiaries or learn more about giving to UCLA, visit the Centennial Campaign for UCLA site and UCLA Newsroom.

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UCLA raises $5.49 billion in one of most ambitious campaigns ever by a public university - UCLA Newsroom