Saint Louis University's Accelerating Excellence Campaign Exceeds $600 Million, Surpassing Goal by $100 Million

Saint Louis University has recently announced that it exceeded its $500 million goal for Accelerating Excellence: The Campaign for Saint Louis University. Thanks to support from donors, who include SLU-St. Louis and SLU-Madrid trustees, alumni, parents, faculty, staff, foundations and corporations, the campaign has raised $604 million.

The campaign was the most ambitious fundraising effort in the University’s 203-year history in the United States and 55-year history as an American branch campus in Madrid, Spain. SLU’s priorities of academic excellence, scholarships, health sciences, athletics and business education will improve immensely.

 

Accelerating Excellence was designed to enable realization of University leadership's vision for SLU: To be a global Jesuit university – one that is mission-focused, student- and patient-centered, and research-driven, working with the people of St. Louis to reimagine, transform and unify our city. Millions of dollars raised through the campaign have already been invested in every school and college at the University, including its Madrid campus, providing greater resources, state-of-the-art facilities and more opportunities for SLU students, faculty and researchers. To date, Accelerating Excellence has:

• Created 416 new need- and merit-based scholarships and awards.
• Enabled considerable investment in faculty recruitment, retention and development, including the creation of 36 newly endowed academic positions: 10 professorships, 7 chairs, 2 deanships, 7 lectureships and 10 fellowships.
• Established 29 new research funds.
• Created 19 new centers and institutes, 11 of which are research-related.

Notable developments made possible by the campaign include:

• The launch of The Saint Louis University Research Institute, a focal point for growing SLU's research capabilities and increasing research output that was created by a historic gift from Dr. Jeanne and Rex Sinquefield.
• The naming of The Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business, in honor of gifts made by Dr. Richard and Jill Chaifetz
• The naming of the Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing, in recognition of philanthropic support from University trustee and alumna Trudy Busch Valentine (Nurs '80).
• The creation of a $10 million endowment for Humanities education.
• The establishment of The Taylor Geospatial Institute, a collaboration of eight research institutions focused on innovation in geospatial science and technology, supported by a legacy investment from Andrew C. Taylor.
• The building of the Jesuit Center, a new residential facility and apostolic center on the University's north campus that supports SLU's community of Jesuit priests.
• The under-construction O'Loughlin Family Champions Center, a 25,000-square-foot facility that will provide comprehensive interdisciplinary services to SLU's student-athletes and coaching staff.

"This is a historic achievement for Saint Louis University," said SLU President Fred P. Pestello, Ph.D. "The Accelerating Excellence campaign has built momentum for our mission-driven work and created new possibilities for groundbreaking initiatives in academics, medicine, research, athletics and service. The generosity of our donors will fuel an exciting, transformative future for SLU."