As of July 2008, the Building Dreams Centennial Campaign’s overall goal has been reached, with a standing total of $134,963,463.30. With BGSU's commitment to key program goals fueling further progress, the campaign will continue to run until its planned end date of December 31, 2008.

During the final week of November 2007, a couple from Florida gave money for a scholarship, a couple from Cleveland gave a gift in honor of a former roommate who died, and a private foundation made a donation, all combining to push the campaign over $120 million. Every gift has added up to help us reach this goal for our University.

With the country’s environment following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the low stock market and the Iraq war looming ahead, people were skeptical of starting a fund-raising campaign in the summer of 2002. But, the members of the National Campaign Steering Committee, along with the University’s fund-raising staff, chose to move forward.

"We chose the goal of $120 million knowing that would be a very ambitious goal, but one we were willing to take on, and here we are," said campaign director Marcia Sloan Latta. “It speaks to what can be done when people are very committed and are willing to work hard towards something important.”

Doug Smith, vice president for university advancement and president and chief executive officer of the BGSU Foundation, said the university's more than 140,000 alumni from around the world really stepped up.

"It's a very wonderful, positive reflection on the graduates of our university," he said. "So many of our people who gave had just so many positive feelings about the education they had at BGSU." More than 34,000 alumni have contributed so far.

As of January 2008, there are 12 months remaining in the Building Dreams Centennial Campaign and we will continue our fund-raising efforts to meet each individual goal within the campaign. The campaign aims to provide for endowed faculty chairs, an entrepreneurship program, the BG Experience: Vision and Values program focused on undergraduate education, and more. Donations given to the capital campaign also will be used for the new Wolfe Center for the Arts, a convocation center, and other campus projects.

While the fundraising goals for every individual goal have not been met, our largest specific goal—$35 million for scholarships—has been surpassed with more than $40 million raised. There can never be enough private scholarship money to help students afford their education.

"That's so important because so many of our students at Bowling Green are first-generation college students, and so many of our students hold a part-time job to pay for their education," Latta said. "Privately-funded scholarships are essential for them to achieve their dreams."

Below is a list of our four main campaign initiatives, the goals that are set for each one, and money raised, followed by a list of each college's and unit's campaign goals.