UWM Exceeds $200 Million Campaign Goal, Pushes On

MILWAUKEE _ The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has made history by raising more than $200 million for its university-wide fundraising effort – Made in Milwaukee, Shaping the World: The Campaign for UWM.

The campaign, which will continue through June 30, 2019, is raising support for student success, research excellence and community engagement.

“This is an extraordinary accomplishment, and I am grateful to all our alumni, close friends and supporters who have contributed to our campaign,” Chancellor Mark Mone said. “The enthusiasm and generous support of our donors allowed us to reach this milestone and gives us great momentum during the final stretch of the campaign. I’m incredibly proud of our fundraising team, who continue to punch above their weight, enabling success for so many more students, faculty and staff.”

The university reported a record-breaking year of fundraising, which ended June 30, 2018. During the 2017-18 fiscal year, donors contributed more than $38.2 million to UWM – the largest amount ever raised at the university in one year. This represents an increase of 16.4 percent over the previous record of $32.9 million in 2012-13.

The public phase of UWM’s campaign launched in September of 2017, following more than five years of planning and quiet fundraising. The $200 million goal is double that of the previous campaign, which ended in 2008.

The largest gift in this campaign came from co-chairs Marianne and Sheldon Lubar, who gave $10 million in 2015 to establish the Lubar Entrepreneurship Center. This was the couple’s second $10 million gift to UWM.

“I believe there is no more important institution in Milwaukee and the state than UWM,” Sheldon Lubar said. “The university provides a pipeline of talent that is critical for our region’s businesses. We consider our investment in UWM a benefit to every citizen of Wisconsin.”

Patricia Borger, UWM’s vice chancellor for development and alumni relations, is leading the charge for this university-wide fundraising effort.

“During this campaign, we have seen an outpouring of support from our alumni, community partners, friends, faculty and staff,” Borger said. “The fact that we have reached our goal one year ahead of schedule reflects the extraordinary dedication of our donors, who realize how valuable UWM is to the individual lives of our students and to the entire region of southeastern Wisconsin and beyond. We know there are many more alumni and friends who want to be part of this game-changing effort for UWM, and we are heading into our final year with tremendous enthusiasm. We count ourselves among an elite group of universities who have reached and surpassed their campaign goals.”

About UWM

Recognized as one of the nation’s 115 top research universities, UW-Milwaukee provides a world-class education to 27,500 students from 91 countries on a budget of $689 million. Its 15 schools and colleges include Wisconsin’s only schools of architecture, freshwater sciences and public health, and it is a leading educator of nurses and teachers. UW-Milwaukee partners with leading companies to conduct joint research, offer student internships and serve as an economic engine for southeastern Wisconsin. The Princeton Review named UW-Milwaukee a 2018 “Best Midwestern” university based on overall academic excellence and student reviews, and the Sierra Club has recognized it as Wisconsin’s leading sustainable university.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.