With the goal of raising $75 million to support student success, Northern Kentucky University launches Further, Faster: The Campaign for NKU.
NKU’s recently unveiled Success by Design strategic framework identified the university’s singular focus on advancing student success aligned with the needs of the region. To accomplish this, NKU looks to provide a sustainable source of funding for the university through private support and a larger endowment.
NKU’s last campaign ended in 2005. Fourteen years later —- following the Great Recession and declining state funding -— the university remains committed to the same promise of maintaining an affordable quality education for all learners, regardless of their journey to NKU.
“We are fortunate to serve diverse learners from first-generation students and adult students to veterans. Some arrive straight out of high school, while others have spent years in jobs that barely pay the bills. They arrive on campus filled with optimism, even as they are grounded by the reality of a challenging road ahead,” said President Ashish Vaidya. “It is up to us to provide them with an education and opportunities that will empower them to attain fulfilling lives. Your support will help make the road a little less bumpy, so that our students can achieve their educational goals.”
NKU’s Success by Design plan has identified three pillars of student success—access, completion and career and community engagement—and the campaign will seek to raise at least $25 million to support each pillar. Access funds will provide scholarships to break down the financial barrier to higher education, and the completion funds will support advising programs, faculty endowments and other initiatives. Career and community engagement will ensure our students have opportunities for a seamless transition to the workforce, as well as support NKU’s community engagement programs throughout the Greater Cincinnati area.
Rich Boehne, campaign chair
“NKU students are the future of our region. Nearly 80 percent of our graduates choose to live, work and thrive in our regional economy. They fill the talent pipeline required for continued growth and shared prosperity in Northern Kentucky, Greater Cincinnati and across the Commonwealth,” said Rich Boehne, NKU alumnus and campaign committee chair. “Closing financial gaps for students is the rallying cry of this campaign. We can’t rely on state and federal funds for public education anymore—it’s up to us to raise these critical dollars.”
NKU began raising funds in July 2014 and has raised more than $47.5 million toward the $75 million goal.
More than 12,000 donors have contributed nearly 35,000 gifts.
The university anticipates the campaign to conclude in 2022 as the Success by Design Strategic Framework come to an end.
To learn more about Further, Faster: The Campaign for NKU, visit its website.
