Bowie State University reaches its $50 million fundraising goal ahead of schedule
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Posted By: S. Moore on July 17, 2023 BOWIE, Md. (7News) — Bowie State University has reached its goal of fundraising $50 million, nearly two and a half years ahead of its December 2025 closing date. The BSU Bold: The Campaign for Excellence campaign is considered the largest fundraising in Bowie State’s history. The Campaign for Excellence was powered by the university’s efforts in strengthening its professional fundraising organization and expanding relationships with alumni, friends, corporations and foundations. “We are appreciative of all the individuals and organizations who have invested in our historic institution,” said Aminta Breaux, president of Bowie State University. “Now we’re able to provide more of our students with scholarships.” Breaux said the school's endowment increased more than 500% and is now standing at $40 million. BSU Bold fundraising will increase Bowie State’s private scholarship funding and call attention to the university’s athletic program, which does not receive state funding, fine arts and nursing programs, and its entrepreneurship education ecosystem. Author and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott played a major role in Bowie State reaching its fundraising goal early. Breaux said that Scott gave the university its largest gift in history back in 2020. In that same year, Scott also gifted Howard University in Washington, D.C. and Morgan State in Baltimore $40 million each. "MacKenzie Scott really changed the whole idea around giving," said Rutgers University Distinguished Professor Marybeth Gasman. Gasman said that there has been an increase in donations to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) since the death of George Floyd, which sparked mass protests around the country over the fatal mistreatment of Black men by law enforcement. "Corporations were really in many ways forced to add diversity officers, to spend more of their money on diversity, equity and inclusion and one of those issues ended up being HBCUs," Gasman added. Contributions to the campaign have also come from Adobe, the Kevin Durant Charity Foundation, Baltimore and Electric, and the Blackstone Charitable Foundation, among other national funders. “We’re fortunate that our unique local footprint includes Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, two major markets where corporations and agencies see the value in partnering with BSU,” said Brent Swinton, vice president for Institutional Advancement. Gasman said that corporate partnerships with schools can lead to more employment opportunities for students. Bowie State is one of only two institutions in the University System of Maryland (USM) to see an increase in enrollment between the years 2017 and 2022. The university is among the 12 institutions and three regional centers in the USM. “The university is attracting students from all backgrounds and is growing rapidly due to new degree and certificate programs, our facilities and a faculty and administration committed to providing students with a high-quality higher education experience,” Breaux said. The Campaign for Excellence’s public phase began in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic and required adjustments in its fundraising process and organizational structure. Bowie State established a unit to distribute privately funded scholarships in the Office of Financial Aid and created new stewardship and alumni engagement units within the Division of Institutional Advancement.  The $50 million BSU Bold: Campaign for Excellence fundraising will largely increase Bowie State's scholarship funding for students. (7News) While the university has reached its campaign goal, it is not dampening its fundraising efforts. SOURCE Washington Post If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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