Dear Friends:

We've done it! Thanks to the leadership of the Foundation Board of Trustees and the gift commitments of thousands of alumni and friends, we have topped $405,197,930 in the Great Expectations campaign. This milestone was achieved through an unprecedented swell of gift commitments over the last four weeks.

Gifts flowed in for a wide variety of objectives, including an endowed chair and center in health literacy for our anticipated School of Public Health; an endowed chair and student and programmatic support for Persian Studies; endowed professorships in Education and in the College of Computer, Mathematical and Physical Sciences;  scholarships in music and a performance fund; the University Libraries; enhanced landscaping around the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center and the Robert H. Smith School of Business; and the renovation and new construction of Athletics facilities.  Gifts from three faculty members represented $2.25 million of June’s total.

These outstanding gifts and many others benefited the campaign’s core priorities of student support, faculty development, facilities, and academic, arts, and athletic programs across all parts of the University.

Of course we are determined to build on the campaign’s momentum.  The Board of Trustees, the Campaign Council, and the National Volunteer Council of regional committees, and school and college boards are finalizing plans for a record setting year ahead. 

We are proud indeed to have a role in propelling the University of Maryland to a position of national and international preeminence.  Outstanding University leadership and a terrific University Relations staff have given us, the volunteer leaders, alumni, and friends of Maryland, an opportunity to make a difference.  Let’s keep the momentum going!

Bill Mayer '66, David Driskell, Alma Gildenhorn '53, Barry Gossett '62, Lowell Glazer '55
Co-chairs of Great Expectations, The Campaign for Maryland
July 6,