New N.C. A&T Fund-Raiser Largest Among Black Universities

The From Generation to Generation campaign, which was in a silent phase for three years, will end Dec. 31, 2007. Forty-three million dollars already has been raised.

The campaign is comparable to UNC-Chapel Hill's Carolina First Campaign, which aims to raise $1.8 billion also by 2007.

N.C. A&T launched a smaller campaign several years ago with a goal of $20 million, but the current project is by far its largest fund-raiser ever.

The $100 million will go toward several areas of university improvement, including $25 million for student recruitment and retention and $25 million for staff and faculty development.

N.C. A&T Chancellor James Renick said officials launched such a large campaign because they realized the school had to expand its horizons to improve the educational experience. "It's very clear to us that we have to diversify."

He said administrators will look at various areas to raise the $100 million. "The level of support of our graduates, as well as our corporate sponsors, is going up."

Renick said about 75 percent of the school's private support comes from corporations, which is traditionally different from larger public universities where more support comes from individuals.

Of the $43 million that has been raised during the campaign, $22 million has come from corporations and $14 million from gifts given by various organizations. The remainder has been donated by university friends and alumni.

Though a large portion of the campaign's donations have come from corporations, Renick noted that alumni support is increasing at N.C. A&T. He cited as an example a $250,000 donation to the university from a single alumnus.

"This is by far our most ambitious effort, and we are confident we will reach our goal," Renick said.

Nashett Garrett, president of the N.C. A&T Student Government Association, said she thinks the timing of the campaign could not be better.

Garrett said the SGA is doing its best to keep students informed of the campaign's progress and the benefits it will produce.

"Right now, we're just giving the campaign our support, but we are brainstorming ideas," she said. "We want the students to be of as much assistance as possible. I feel confident that we will reach our monetary goal by the deadline."

N.C. A&T Vice Chancellor David Hoard said the University already has approached its top 1,000 donors, put forth proposals and spoken with alumni to garner support. Hoard said donor response and the campaign's progress thus far show both North Carolinians' support for the university and their belief in providing quality education in the state.

"This is an ambitious goal that we should be able to meet," he said. "N.C. A&T was a good idea 100 years ago, and we're still building on high traditions."

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.