Campaign History
The Power of Possible Centennial Campaign
Exceeding its initial goal by approximately $15 million with a final total of over $75 million, the impacts of this campaign can be widely seen in:
- the new campus-community Pablo Center at the Confluence in downtown Eau Claire;
- the John H. and Carolyn Sonnentag Event and Recreation Complex under development on Menomonie Street;
- Blugold Radio/Converge — the Chippewa Valley’s first indie rock station;
- hundreds of new funds supporting student scholarships, internships, student-faculty research, cultural immersion experiences, faculty professional development and more.
With goals of raising $60 million and boosting the endowment above the $69.3 million mark by UW-Eau Claire’s centennial year, the Foundation Board of Directors publicly launched the Power of Possible campaign in 2012. The outcome of the campaign, which officially ended Dec. 31, 2016, was announced at the UW-Eau Claire Foundation’s annual Employee Appreciation Luncheon on Feb. 16, 2017.
$73M+
in gifts and pledges
600+
new funds created to support people on campus
39,000
donors supported the campaign
The Foundation’s role is to look at every area of need of the university and address as many of those as possible. Through this successful Power of Possible campaign, we have been able to effectively serve the university’s needs across the board — from state-of-the art facilities to student financial support.
Fulfilling the Promise of Excellence
The UW-Eau Claire Foundation’s first comprehensive fundraising effort was a resounding success, exceeding both its original and revised goals and raising nearly $54 million.
Impacts of the campaign included:
- many new, fully funded student scholarships;
- faculty opportunity funds for every academic department to help professors continue to do research and travel to conferences;
- enhanced learning facilities in the College of Business, the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, languages department and athletic training facility;
- installation of artificial turf and a new scoreboard at the Carson Park football field;
- the Endowment for Excellence to support the university’s areas of greatest need;
- the Blugold Promise Scholarship fund;
- faculty/staff development funds and endowed chairs;
- the conversion of UW-Eau Claire to an all-Steinway piano campus.
The campaign kicked off with the largest gift in Foundation history at that time: a $4.5 million outright/estate gift combination from national campaign chairs David and Marilyn Karlgaard for computer science students.
More than 20,000 alumni and friends supported the campaign, which called attention to such university needs as scholarships, technology, faculty and staff development, and facilities.
$35M
5 year goal raised in 4 years
$54M
raised overall in 7 years
The level of generosity demonstrated throughout the campaign exceeded our wildest expectations. Through their generosity, our donors have touched the lives of scores of people and virtually every program at UW-Eau Claire.