The University of Tampa announced it successfully completed its second-ever comprehensive capital campaign — and raised more than $160 million.
The funds — donated by more than 15,000 supporters — were used to grow the University’s endowment, build new facilities, develop academic programs and support faculty, as well as provide student scholarships.
One of the campaign’s priorities — construction of the Graduate and Health Studies Building — will be celebrated this Friday, Aug. 31, at a 9:30 a.m. grand opening at the newly opened building in the center of campus. Media and the public are welcome to attend and tour the new building.
The campaign, which began in 2007, produced a number of tangible benefits:
- The endowment was raised 175 percent to an endowment value of $44 million;
- One hundred twenty-two new scholarships and program endowments were created;
- Seventeen new construction and major remodeling projects were undertaken thanks to 37 large leadership level gifts, including the Daly Innovation and Collaboration Building, the Fitness and Recreation Center, the Schoomaker ROTC and Athletics Building, the Sykes Chapel and Center for Faith and Values, the Dickey Health and Wellness Center, Jenkins Hall, the Naimoli Family Athletic and Intramural Complex, and the Martinez Athletics Center;
- Seventy-nine new academic programs, including cybersecurity undergraduate and graduate degrees, were established. In addition, efforts to increase student retention and graduation rates were bolstered; and
- Five new athletic teams started play.
University President Ronald Vaughn said the campaign reinforced UT’s place as a model, metropolitan university and provided students with an excellent academic and co-curricular experience.
“UT has grown exponentially in reputation, student selectivity and financial stability,” Vaughn said. “This campaign focused on building on our strengths, taking advantage of opportunities and launching new initiatives that will prepare UT students today and in the future to succeed in a complex, technologically advanced global society.”
Creating Tomorrow is the University’s largest fundraising campaign in its nearly 85 year history. The last campaign, which was the University’s first and began in 1997 and ended in 2005, totaled $84 million. Creating Tomorrow began in 2007 as a $105-million campaign. The goal was increased to $150 million when the campaign went public in 2015 and had surpassed its goal.
One of the highlights of the campaign was the Spartan Challenge, which was issued by an anonymous benefactor. The Spartan Challenge was a pledge to match $1 for every $2 raised, up to $10 million. The pledge was completed in 2016.
Since the last campaign, UT’s enrollment has grown by 79 percent (5,125 to 9,200), the number of academic degrees, majors, minors and certificate programs have increased from slightly more than 100 to 200, and UT has more than tripled its institutional aid to students (from $23 million to $72 million).
For more information about the Creating Tomorrow campaign, contact Keith Todd, vice president of development and university relations, at (813) 257-3006 or [email protected].
Graduate and Health Studies Building
With a grand opening on Friday, Aug. 31, at 9:30 a.m., UT opens its largest academic building.
At six stories and 91,000 square feet, the building houses UT’s programs in nursing and physician assistant medicine, as well as UT’s Office of Graduate and Continuing Studies, classrooms, health science labs, a physics research lab, student gathering and study spaces, and faculty offices.
Two floors of the building were specifically designed for UT’s new program in physician assistant medicine. This facility includes a clinical skills lab, patient simulation labs, assessment rooms, digital anatomy lab, classrooms, study spaces, offices, a conference room and a unique moulage room, which is a specialized room for applying mock injuries for student training.
Another two floors are dedicated to UT’s nursing program, which has long been renowned as one of the best in Florida. The nursing space includes a reception area, a large patient care center, ICU simulation rooms, health assessment clinical spaces, a student lounge and study spaces, faculty and staff offices, a large conference room and classrooms.
The top floor, with sweeping views of campus and downtown Tampa, includes a reception area, a student study area, a conference room, classrooms, approximately 25 faculty and staff offices and other workspaces to provide support to UT’s Office of Graduate and Continuing Studies. Additionally, this floor will temporarily house two physics labs, a physics classroom and a physics research lab.
The building was paid for through a combination of individual gifts and University funds. GHS was designed by the team of KWJ Architects and Beck Architecture, and the building was constructed by Beck.
In alignment with UT’s commitment to create a responsible, efficient, healthy and sustainable campus, the building is a candidate for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.
