March 23, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 24, 2021
 

University of Alaska System Announces First-ever Fundraising Campaign: $200 Million Goal for Scholarships and Academic Programs
 

The University of Alaska System will launch its first-ever comprehensive fundraising campaign on March 25 with the goal of raising $200 million for the university -- the most ambitious philanthropic undertaking in the university’s history. The public is invited to join the virtual kick-off event on March 25 beginning at 6 p.m. Event details can be found at www.uacampaign.com. 

The campaign is being coordinated by the University of Alaska Foundation and is a collaborative effort involving UAA, UAF, UAS, all community campuses and the UA System office designed to empower opportunity through education in Alaska.

The kick off event will be streamed online at www.uacampaign.com and available for on-demand viewing following the event. Diane Kaplan, President and CEO of the Rasmuson Foundation, will host the virtual event. 

“Through this campaign, we want to generate Alaskan ownership of our extraordinary university system,” said UA Foundation President Tod Burnett. “We invite all Alaskans to embrace our state’s three universities by celebrating our world class faculty and research and supporting students in reaching for their dreams.”

The campaign priorities include:

  • Expand the culture of education in Alaska - increasing graduation rates, broad access to higher education, and educational equity.

  • Provide for Alaska’s skilled workforce.

  • Grow UA’s world class research by leading research relevant to Alaska and to the Arctic region.

  • Contribute to a more diversified economy by expanding Alaska’s knowledge base.

The university has been working for several years to increase private giving and already has  received $135 million from more than 16,000 donors for specific programs, research, and scholarship funds. In announcing the campaign, the university invites all Alaskans to envision their dreams and invest in the university.

“UA plays a critical role in serving Alaska and Alaskans,” said Cindy Cartledge, chair of the UA Foundation Board of Directors. “This campaign underscores the vast benefits of having a diverse and well-supported public higher education system in the state. We want to build a vibrant, bold tomorrow for all Alaskans made possible through the opportunities offered by higher education.“

The University of Alaska provides critical education, workforce development, innovation and research across the state that benefits all Alaskans. From educating nurses and teachers and training the next generation of engineers to producing cutting edge technology and serving as one of the premier Arctic research institutes in the world, UA is the university for Alaska.

The UA Foundation was established in 1974 to solicit, manage, and invest donations for the benefit of the University of Alaska System. The University of Alaska System is comprised of three distinct and separately-accredited Universities in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau with community campuses located in 13 communities across Alaska. For more information, please visit www.alaska.edu/foundation.

– 30 –

For more information, contact:

Roberta Graham, associate vice president of public affairs at 907-360-2416 (cell).

Tlisa Northcutt, UA Foundation, at tanorthcutt@alaska.edu or 907-786-1211 (office) or 907-317-1632 (cell).