Senior Vice President for Academics and Partnerships Rod Grabowski told students and staff at the Fairwinds Alumni Center on Thursday that UCF is launching its ‘biggest fundraising campaign in university history.’ The campaign aims to raise money for scholarships, university programs, research, and other investments.
Bryan Gonzalez
UCF officially launched a multi-billion-dollar initiative on Monday, as part of its “biggest fundraising campaign in university history.”
The announcement follows a speech by a UCF spokesperson at a pep rally event on Thursday about the campaign, hosted by UCF Advancement and Partnerships.
During a speech to students and faculty in the Fairwinds Alumni Center, Senior Vice President for Academics and Partnerships Rod Grabowski said the university is launching a $3.5 billion fundraising campaign for campus investment.
“Through ‘Go For Launch,’ we have a bold, ambitious goal of achieving $3.5 billion for this university,” Grabowski said. ”And while that is a bold number — intentionally bold — we know it is the largest campaign goal in UCF’s history and one of the largest campaign goals in the state of Florida.”
Grabowski said that although UCF’s core operations are supported by tuition, state funding and other contracts, this money doesn’t fund other projects critical to the university’s success.
“Investment is catalytic; it multiplies impact, it accelerates growth, it unlocks opportunities that traditional funding can’t reach,” Grabowski said.
Through this funding campaign, Grabowski said additional funds allow UCF to support other investments such as creating scholarships, establishing professorships, retaining faculty and launching new programs and initiatives.
“This campaign is different because it includes all kinds of revenue; it includes outright gifts and pledge from partners,” Grabowski said. “It includes contributions, research investments, ticket revenue, matching funds and corporate investment that is not necessarily philanthropy.”
Grabowski added that this campaign will focus on all aspects of the university.
“UCF’s campaign is not about one division, one college or one area of the university,” he said. “It works only when all of us see ourselves as part of building UCF’s future and inviting others to engage with it.”
Luci Blanco, UCF student body president, said this new campaign will represent a significant change for the university.
“We are on the precipice of something huge, and we will need the resources to back it up,” Blanco said during the event. “This campaign will take our student offerings, and services to the next level and let us do more than ever for our student body.”
Blanco said the Go for Launch campaign will help UCF attract faculty researchers and propel research opportunities for the university.
“We are at an important moment in our life at UCF, ” Blanco said. “Together we can make a meaningful impact.”
The campaign website officially launched Feb. 21 at noon and the campaign kicked off Feb. 23, according to a UCF spokesperson.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available. Check back for updates.