news-record.com

The top giver to UNCG’s $115 million Students First Campaign won’t have a scholarship named in her or his honor.

The donor of a $6 million gift was the famously anonymous benefactor who has given at least $70 million to colleges and universities across the country, all headed by a women.

The unknown benefactor isn’t much different, however, from the approximately 22,000 donors who lifted UNCG’s five-year fund drive well above its $100 million goal. Few of them will receive public recognition or lasting tributes for their generosity. They chose to help because they believe in UNCG and its vital mission.

Like other public universities, UNCG can’t count on state appropriations, tuition income or research grants to cover all the costs of providing quality higher education. It also takes private giving to maintain financial viability. The resounding success of this campaign will go a long way toward bolstering UNCG’s ability to support students and keep outstanding faculty.

Most of the money raised will fund scholarships and faculty development efforts, UNCG leaders say. The gains include 245 new undergraduate and graduate scholarships and 14 new professorships. The help couldn’t come at a better time, when all universities are coping with state budget cuts and endowment losses, and when students are finding it harder to pay tuition.

Feeding the financial demands is a job that never ends. UNCG has already begun planning for its next campaign. Similarly, new N.C. A&T Chancellor Harold Martin said this week he’s directed his development staff to outline a plan for a new fund drive. A&T concluded its last campaign short of its $100 million goal last year, but Martin is optimistic about the next effort.

Chancellors must set high targets for both academic success and fundraising. The two are closely linked. Academic success builds a wealthier alumni base and attracts favorable attention, which helps fundraising. But fundraising is necessary to support strong academic programs.

Thanks to its 22,000 donors, named and unnamed, UNCG is better financed for the future.