UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN River Falls
September 23, 2016—The University of Wisconsin-River Falls celebrated the conclusion of its first ever comprehensive campaign, Rising to Distinction, on September 23 as part of UWRF's Homecoming and Family Weekend. The five-year campaign was a stellar success with an influx of gifts at the end of 2015 that enabled UWRF to cross the $20 million threshold six months before its anticipated June 30 campaign conclusion.
"The hope and vision for the Rising to Distinction campaign was that it would advance the university in significant ways," said Chancellor Van Galen during his celebration address. "The most important outcome of this campaign is the positive impact it has on the students, present and future, that we support, mentor and educate. Rising to Distinction has in fact played a key role in making UW-River Falls more distinctive within Wisconsin, and within American public higher education. "
During the event, Campaign Chair Bill Boehm announced that the campaign raised $21,920,619 from July 1, 2011, to June 30, 2016. Even more remarkable, Boehm noted, is that 93% of pledges have already been paid and are currently at work on the UW-River Falls campus.
The daylong celebration included the dedication of the new Bill Boehm Outdoor Classroom on the campus mall as a tribute to the campaign and to its campaign chair, a tour of the Falcon Center currently under construction on the south edge of campus, and exhibits highlighting the impact the campaign has had on UW-River Falls and its students.
Among the campaign's most important accomplishments were increasing annual scholarship awards from $588,000 to $1.1 million, establishment of the Falcon Scholars program, renovation of Smith Stadium at Ramer Field, support for the Falcon Center project, and private funds raised to support the soon-to-be-renovated Dairy Pilot Plant.
"The campaign story is about the generosity of more than 10,000 donors who have supported generations of current and former Falcons," said Chris Mueller, assistant chancellor of University Advancement and president of UW-River Falls Foundation. "The campaign was a fulfillment of President Eugene Kleinpell's vision in 1949 that the Foundation would "give a spark and ensure the university's progress."
In a testament to that vision, Chancellor Van Galen shared four ways in which the campaign is enabling UW-River Falls to achieve many aspirations: to be an uncommonly student-centered university of academic excellence and opportunity, to be a national leader in undergraduate research, to be a national leader among peers in internationalization, and to provide learning spaces that support active, engaged teaching, learning and student development.
Throughout the campaign, 10,153 unique donors paid and pledged $21.9 million to bring the university's vision to fruition. These generous gifts are important to UW-River Falls in pursuing the goals of its new strategic plan, Pathway to Distinction.
Gillian McDonald, a 2015 UWRF graduate and Falcon Scholar, and Bailey Vitek, a UWRF senior and scholarship recipient, also spoke at the evening celebration of the widespread impact of the campaign through their experiences such as undergraduate research and study abroad.
A few of the many examples highlighted at the celebration were:
Boehm closed the evening expressing gratitude and thanks for all who were involved.
"Thank you all for the part you played personally in making this evening celebration possible," said Boehm. "Thank you for supporting higher education in Wisconsin in a most visible and impactful way. Thank you for positively impacting the lives of those who come here to teach and learn."
For more information about the campaign, email chris.mueller@uwrf.edu or visit https://www.uwrf.edu/RisingtoDistinction/.