With less than one month remaining in the Victors for Michigan fundraising campaign, 393,000 donors have given a record-breaking $5.11 billion as of Dec. 1, including more than $1.17 billion for student support.
In his final update to the Board of Regents on Thursday, Jerry May, vice president for development, hailed the University of Michigan’s tradition of philanthropy and remarkable volunteer network for the campaign’s success.
“Our success is due to a combination of factors, including a world-class university, a proud tradition of philanthropy, strong university leadership and a talented team of development professionals,” May said. “We also have the help of 1,650 amazing volunteers from all over the world who care about Michigan.”
May emphasized the broad reach of donors who gave:
• Ninety-four percent of donors gave less than $5,000.
• More than half came from outside the U-M alumni community.
• Half made their first gift to Michigan in this campaign.
• More than 10,000 U-M students contributed $2.4 million, and 22,000 faculty, staff and retirees gave $202 million.
In October 2018, U-M became the first public university to raise $5 billion and the first to raise more than $1 billion for students. The bulk of the student support funding — 92 percent — includes scholarships and fellowships, while the balance enriches the student experience through internships, global experiences, career development and more. Private donations help support about 14,400 students this year alone.
Other major areas include $1.67 billion for programmatic support, $1.42 billion for faculty and research, and $671 million for facilities.
May expressed gratitude in his final campaign remarks. May will retire from the university at year’s end.
“I especially want to thank every single member of our Board of Regents for their support and for personally giving to the Victors for Michigan campaign. Your example, your impact and your legacy will be felt for years to come. Thank you,” he said.
