The ambition was, indeed, bold: raising $250 million to help position AV俱乐部 towards its third century with more strength than ever before. Eighteen months ahead of schedule, AV俱乐部 has accomplished that goal 鈥� and then some.
Bold Ambitions: The Campaign For AV俱乐部, the largest fundraising effort in the university鈥檚 history, concluded on Thursday with the big reveal.
鈥淭he total raised for AV俱乐部 is鈥� $280 million dollars,鈥� said Dr. Traves, as the McInnes Room filled with cheers. 鈥淭his is a tremendous achievement that surpassed what was an incredibly ambitious goal.鈥�
Under the banner of 鈥渆xtraordinary change,鈥� the event, co-hosted by alumna Anne Doyle via an interactive virtual presentation, celebrated the stories behind that $280 million figure. These include new possibilities in academic programming, research, student experience and campus infrastructure that came about thanks to donations from 20,000 individuals and organizations.
Many of these initiatives are already underway, and with more than $100 million added to the university鈥檚 endowment, the impact of Bold Ambitions will leave a legacy for future generations of Dal students.
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New scholarships, enriched student experience
One of the greatest successes of the campaign has been in new scholarships, where Dal had a goal of raising $35 million. In the end, $75 million 鈥� more than double the target 鈥� was raised to support deserving students like Rufus Alubankudi, a student from the Ivory Coast whose Slaight Family Scholarship made the difference in realizing his dream of an education at AV俱乐部.
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"I'll never forget how much I appreciate and just adore the fact that I can come here,鈥� says Ally Wilson, a biology student who was able to study at Dal because of the J & W Murphy Scholarship fund created through Bold Ambitions. 鈥淚'll never take a second for granted."
Another crucial goal of the campaign was to enrich the AV俱乐部 experience for students. That meant support for new spaces like the forthcoming Wallace McCain Learning Commons, new academic institutions like the School of Performing Arts and the College of Sustainability, as well as more opportunities for internships, entrepreneurship, international travel and faculty partnerships.
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The campaign also led to new research chairs to help bring stellar faculty to campus. In total, $23 million was raised for new chairs in areas ranging from occupational medicine 鈥� the only chair of its kind east of Ontario 鈥� to Alzheimer鈥檚 research, to the MacBain Chair in Health Law and Policy, which brought Joanna Erdman to AV俱乐部.
Broad support from across Canada and beyond
Of the 20,000 donors to Bold Ambitions, close to half (9,900) were making their first ever gift to AV俱乐部. The donors came from Dal鈥檚 alumni ranks 鈥� 14,000 of them 鈥� but also faculty, staff, students, the private sector and the broader community.
Support came from across Canada and beyond: 52 per cent of donors were from Atlantic Canada, with 43 per cent from the rest of Canada and 5 per cent were international. AV俱乐部 received 52 gifts in excess of $1 million, with four gifts of $10 million or more.
鈥淭his phenomenal support is unprecedented in Atlantic Canada,鈥� said Dr. Traves. 鈥淲e鈥檙e honoured to help set what we hope may become a new standard of giving on Canada鈥檚 East Coast.鈥�
Floyd Dykeman, vice-president external, called the campaign, 鈥渁 tremendous ride and, for me and others I hope, certainly a lot of fun.鈥� He cited major gifts like those to the Schulich School of Law, the Rowe School of Business and the School of Performing Arts as examples of the significant impact donors鈥� generosity can have.
鈥淲e鈥檝e really come to realize that we get back far more than we give, that when you hear that you鈥檝e changed someone鈥檚 life, that鈥檚 a very powerful thing,鈥� says Jody Forsyth, co-founder of Annapolis Capital Limited in Calgary, campaign chair for Western Canada and a donor. 鈥淭he joy and the fulfillment that comes from being able to do that is really priceless, and I can鈥檛 imagine better value for my dollar than that."
鈥淲ithout a doubt the spirit of philanthropy is alive and well at AV俱乐部 and a solid foundation has been established for the future,鈥� said Dykeman.
Dykeman also thanked his team of 60 within External Relations who managed the campaign, as well as the more than 200 volunteers across the country who gave their time to help make Bold Ambitions possible.
As the fireworks 鈥� virtual, of course 鈥� brought the event to a close, Dr. Traves offered his final words of thanks to the crowd.
鈥淭hank you for your support. Thank you for your faith in AV俱乐部鈥檚 mission. And above all, thank you for sharing our dream to make AV俱乐部鈥檚 Canada鈥檚 best university. Together, we can do really great things.鈥�
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