Campaign News

Santa Clara University is in the final months of the $350 million Campaign for Santa Clara, which ends Dec. 31. We are pleased to report that, as of March 31, we have received generous support from alumni, parents, and friends that totals $355 million. Not only did we reach our goal several months ahead of time, we exceeded the original goal. That leaves the University in the fortunate position of having a few months to meet some additional goals. The goals for this campaign focused on three general areas: annual operations, endowment, and capital projects. As of the end of March, we have surpassed our goals for the annual fund, endowed chairs, program areas, and we have nearly achieved our goal for endowed scholarships. We could not have done this without the generous support of alumni, parents, and friends of the University.

Although the Campaign’s dollar goal has been met, challenges remain. Of highest priority are the three capital projects: the Commons and Library, the Leavey School of Business building, and the Jesuit Residence. Costs have escalated because of external pressures, including booming international construction and a series of natural disasters in the past year. Even after value engineering, the cost of these new facilities has risen to $161 million from the original estimate of $132 million. To date, donations total $89.6 million, leaving a difference of $71.4 million.

The Board of Trustees responded to that need by launching the Trustee Challenge and contributing another $16 million to the Campaign. That comes on top of $61 million already committed in this Campaign by the trustees.

According to Bob Peters ’61, a trustee and chair of the fund-raising committee, each lay member of the Board of Trustees has pledged to help raise additional funds for the three capital projects. It is their hope that the other constituencies of the University—alumni, parents, and friends—will focus on these fund-raising needs, as well.

Heidi LeBaron Leupp ’84, who serves on the Board of Regents and is actively involved with fund raising at the University, urges the SCU community to support these important goals. “We hope every person who has been touched by Santa Clara University will give a gift of whatever size they are capable—regardless of amount,” she says.

Commons and Library

President Paul Locatelli, S.J., has called the new Commons and Library the “actual and symbolic center for excellence in research, teaching, learning, and living” and said the completion of its funding is one of his top priorities for 2006. That’s why the executive committee of the Board of Trustees has authorized groundbreaking for the project this summer.

The original $80 million goal is now $95 million as a result of escalating costs. Approximately $55 million has been raised so far, leaving a gap of $40 million. Of the $55 million, $20 million came from University trustee Lorry Lokey, the founder of BizWire, and $15 million came from the Wayne and Gladys Valley Foundation. The Bill Hannon Foundation contributed $4 million, and both the Gellert and Koret Foundations have committed $1 million gifts.

The new Commons and Library, built on the site of the current library, above, will be the “actual and symnolic center for excellence in research, teaching, learning, and living.” Photo: Charles Barry

Alumni have contributed $4 million, including a $2 million pledge from Michel J. ’60 and Mary Orradre, and a $1 million pledge from John M. and Abby Sobrato, both Class of 1983. These two significant gifts and many others were made in honor of the beloved Norman Martin, S.J., who died Feb. 5 (see Page 35).

The January 2000 Western Association of Schools and Colleges accreditation report was, on the whole, very positive. It did, however, urge the University to address the current library’s aging, inadequate physical and digital infrastructure to better support campus scholarship and institutional efficiency.

The University encourages alumni, especially those who have yet to make a gift to the Campaign, to consider making a gift to the library to help achieve this ambitious and critical goal.

Leavey School of Business

For nearly a century, the Leavey School of Business has been critical to the strength of the Northern California business environment. Well before this area was called the Silicon Valley, SCU graduates were providing the region with a unique brand of business leadership, underscored by the curriculum’s Jesuit emphasis on critical thinking and ethical decision making.

The new facility provides flexible design to meet future needs. It will be responsive, innovative, and technologically current to capitalize on the potential of technology to enhance individual and group learning. It will also serve as a laboratory for companies to showcase advances in software and hardware applicable to management practice.

Leupp says she feels strongly about the importance of this campaign goal. “I believe the business school is critical in attracting the best companies to the students here, and it’s equally important that Santa Clara educates the best business leaders of the future,” she says.

Early in the Campaign, Don Lucas, an SCU parent who serves on the Board of Trustees, made a $15 million lead gift for the new business school. Alumni have donated another $6.8 million; another $2.6 million has come from corporate gifts, including a $1 million gift from Cadence Design and significant gifts from Ernst and Young, DeLoitte, and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Gifts to this project now total $28 million toward a goal of $53 million.

Business school alumni, in particular, might consider making a donation to this project.

Jesuit Residence

Santa Clara has one of the largest active Jesuit communities in the United States. The new Jesuit Residence will enhance the quality of life for Jesuits and provide an environment for greater hospitality and welcome to family, friends, colleagues, students, and staff. This facility, which will have the true ambiance of a home, will only add to Santa Clara’s sense of community by attracting younger Jesuits who are bright, excellent scholars and deeply committed to students. Additionally, the new facility will enable Nobili Hall to be returned to use as both study space and residence facilities for students.

Of the $8 million donated so far to this $13 million project, about $3 million has come from alumni. Alumni who wish to make a donation to the Campaign could designate a gift to this project to honor a favorite Jesuit they knew as students.

Closing the Campaign

SCU alumni have historically been active and generous. They founded the first alumni organization west of the Mississippi; this year marks the 125th anniversary of the Santa Clara University Alumni Association.

With only a few months left to meet these goals, every gift truly makes a difference. During this Campaign for Santa Clara, 21,275 alumni have made gifts or pledges. More than 10,500 gifts have been given by Santa Clara parents. And the University is very grateful for each gift. Still, more than half of SCU alumni have yet to participate in this Campaign—a number that the University wants to change significantly by the end of this year.

To make a gift online, visit the Online Giving Web site.