Tulane University breaks fundraising record
The Phyllis M. Taylor Center for Social Innovation and Design Thinking is located in Suite 200 in Flower Hall on the uptown campus. (Photo by Paula Burch-Celentano)
“There"s no question Tulane wouldn"t be the great institution it is without the support of our alumni, parents and friends,” says Yvette Jones, executive vice president for university relations and development.
The impact of these gifts reaches across the university, Jones says, touching countless lives.
Donors made large investments in signature Tulane fields, such as social innovation and entrepreneurship. Phyllis M. Taylor (L "66) and the Taylor Foundation established the Phyllis M. Taylor Center for Social Innovation and Design Thinking. Albert Lepage (B "71) and the Albert Lepage Foundation established the Albert Lepage Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Bill Goldring (B "64) and the Goldring and Woldenberg Foundations gave toward the Goldring/Woldenberg Business School Complex, the expansion of the A. B. Freeman School of Business.
Those gifts alone totaled about $40 million.
Likewise, 2014-2015 was a landmark year for unrestricted giving, marking the sixth consecutive year of increased donors and dollars (18,600 donors gave $15.5 million). Unrestricted donations are vitally important because they can be used immediately to support student scholarships, faculty and research.
Jones thanked the Board of Tulane for investing in university advancement. The percentage of alumni giving has continually increased, partly due to bolstered alumni relations efforts, such as regularly scheduled reunions, she says.
The banner year also comes as Tulane lays the foundation for the public phase of a billion-dollar-plus campaign. This year"s outcome plus the upward trend over the last few years signals that the campaign will be a success, Jones says.Jones praised the tremendous effort by Tulane"s development and university relations teams, deans and academic leadership. “It takes a lot of investment to make a great university.”
Mary Sparacello is a communications specialist in the Office of Development Communications.
