Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox.
Subscribe to our newsletter here.

Syracuse University’s Forever Orange campaign reached a milestone of $1 billion in donations about 20 months after its initial launch.

The goal of the campaign is to raise $1.5 billion in private donations and funds to support the expansion of faculty research and the student experience. 

“The generosity of our alumni, parents, students, faculty, staff and friends, even during the most uncertain of times in a global pandemic, continues to light the way toward the future of this institution,” Chancellor Kent Syverud said in an SU news release.

At a University Senate meeting in January, Syverud announced that SU was on track to pass the $1 billion mark by late spring or early summer despite the conditions caused by the pandemic.

The campaign adapted to the challenges posed by the pandemic and raised $1.8 million for the Syracuse Responds COVID-19 relief effort. The emergency grant provided students financial support for education, travel, food and housing during the pandemic.

“I think the pandemic is a very compelling case for support for SU,” said Matt Ter Molen, SU’s senior vice president and chief advancement officer, in February. “Our donors see the value of a Syracuse education. They see the impact of Syracuse research. They want to support our students, and they want to support our faculty.”

To date, the university has allocated $115.5 million to student financial aid and $135 million for research funding and professorship expansion. Additionally, the Forever Orange campaign has resulted in 500 new scholarships and additional financial support opportunities for students, according to the news release. 

SU has also reserved $4.6 million in donations for diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility initiatives.

The Forever Orange campaign also helped SU build and renovate several buildings on campus, including the Carrier Dome, the National Veterans Resource Center, the Schine Student Center and the Barnes Center at The Arch, according to the news release. The university didn’t specify in the release how much money from the campaign went to these construction projects.

The campaign also aims to inspire 125,000 donors to contribute in funding and engage 20% of SU alumni. To date, the fund has attained 88,482 donors and has attracted 15% of SU alumni, according to the news release.

“Forever Orange is positioning us for success today and for generations to come, and we’re already seeing those results,” said Mike Thonis, a member of SU’s Board of Trustees. “This campaign is opening up our university community to new possibilities, enabling us to better anticipate what’s next, and providing students and faculty with the facilities and resources they need to pursue their dreams.”

Published on June 17, 2021 at 2:43 pm

Contact Lilli: laiannel@syr.edu | @LilliIannella