March 23, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 24, 2021
 

University of èƵ System Announces First-ever Fundraising Campaign: $200 Million Goal for Scholarships and Academic Programs
 

The University of èƵ System will launch its first-ever comprehensive fundraising campaign on March 25 with the goal of raising $200 million for the èƵ -- the most ambitious philanthropic undertaking in the èƵ’s history. The public is invited to join the virtual kick-off event on March 25 beginning at 6 p.m. Event details can be found at 

The campaign is being coordinated by the University of èƵ Foundation and is a collaborative effort involving UAA, UAF, UAS, all community campuses and the UA System office designed to empower opportunity through education in èƵ.

The kick off event will be streamed online at  and available for on-demand viewing following the event. Diane Kaplan, President and CEO of the Rasmuson Foundation, will host the virtual event. 

“Through this campaign, we want to generate èƵn ownership of our extraordinary èƵ system,” said UA Foundation President Tod Burnett. “We invite all èƵns to embrace our state’s three universities by celebrating our world class faculty and research and supporting students in reaching for their dreams.”

The campaign priorities include:

  • Expand the culture of education in èƵ - increasing graduation rates, broad access to higher education, and educational equity.

  • Provide for èƵ’s skilled workforce.

  • Grow UA’s world class research by leading research relevant to èƵ and to the Arctic region.

  • Contribute to a more diversified economy by expanding èƵ’s knowledge base.

The èƵ has been working for several years to increase private giving and already has  received $135 million from more than 16,000 donors for specific programs, research, and scholarship funds. In announcing the campaign, the èƵ invites all èƵns to envision their dreams and invest in the èƵ.

“UA plays a critical role in serving èƵ and èƵns,” said Cindy Cartledge, chair of the UA Foundation Board of Directors. “This campaign underscores the vast benefits of having a diverse and well-supported public higher education system in the state. We want to build a vibrant, bold tomorrow for all èƵns made possible through the opportunities offered by higher education.“

The University of èƵ provides critical education, workforce development, innovation and research across the state that benefits all èƵns. From educating nurses and teachers and training the next generation of engineers to producing cutting edge technology and serving as one of the premier Arctic research institutes in the world, UA is the èƵ for èƵ.

The UA Foundation was established in 1974 to solicit, manage, and invest donations for the benefit of the University of èƵ System. The University of èƵ System is comprised of three distinct and separately-accredited Universities in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau with community campuses located in 13 communities across èƵ. For more information, please visit .

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For more information, contact:

Roberta Graham, associate vice president of public affairs at 907-360-2416 (cell).

Tlisa Northcutt, UA Foundation, at tanorthcutt@alaska.edu or 907-786-1211 (office) or 907-317-1632 (cell).