The Forever Brighter campaign’s Prioritizing Student Success priority has exceeded its initial fundraising goal of $100 million in the first 14 months of the public campaign, having secured $140.2 million as of Dec. 14, 2022. The entire campaign’s overall goal is to raise $350 million to support student success, university initiatives and building projects.
Thanks to generous support from donors, alumni, faculty, staff, foundations and friends, the current overall campaign fundraising status is $347.3 million, or 98 percent of goal.
Forever Brighter is the most ambitious comprehensive fundraising campaign in Kent State University history, and it focuses on three key areas: Prioritizing Student Success, Expanding University Initiatives and Building the Future. Within each of these areas are specific projects, programs and initiatives to enhance student experiences and elevate Kent State’s reputation as a leader in student support, athletics, research and innovation – both nationally and internationally.
Prioritizing Student Success remains our most important campaign priority that will help us achieve our goal of supporting all of our students with scholarships from the minute they receive their acceptance letter until the day they graduate.
“We knew this was an aggressive - but imperative - goal when we launched the public campaign in October 2021,” said Valoree Vargo, vice president of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement. “We have been overwhelmed by the incredible show of support for this most important priority at Kent State and look forward to continuing to raise funds for scholarship support for all of our students.”
Prioritizing Student Success is the umbrella under which the following scholarship support aligns: Ensuring Access, Rewarding Achievement, Enhancing Experiences and Fostering Completion. This includes Global Education, Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE), Rising Scholars, First-Generation Fund, Last Dollar Scholarships and many more.