A Brief History of Educational Fund-Raising at Iowa State University

The strong and highly successful fund-raising program to secure and steward private gifts and grants for the benefit of Iowa State University grew out of simple beginnings.

The First Steps

The Iowa State University (then college) Alumni Association (ISUAA) was founded in 1878 and incorporated in 1932 to promote the general welfare of Iowa State by fostering a spirit of loyalty and commitment among students, former students, graduates, faculty, staff, parents and friends.

In 1932 the ISUAA broadened its scope through the establishment of a subsidiary organization known as the Iowa State College Alumni Achievement Fund, subsequently the ISU Achievement Fund. This move recognized the need for private financial support and the willingness of alumni and friends to provide such support.

The Fund's efforts were largely centered on annual giving, a direct-mail appeal for scholarships and other university-related programs. The Fund accepted contributions to establish loan funds for students, scholarships and awards and its board of trustees approved purchases of farmland and equipment, in the name of the ISUAA, for the benefit of Iowa State.

Parcels of real estate were acquired which not only "protected" the university from what might have been less than desirable developments on its boundaries but also looked forward to the time when the institution's growth would require additional space. Not every investment was intended to maximize cash return. Consideration of the long-term general good of the university and the community were taken into account.

Requests for funds from departments and organizations were reviewed and the Alumni Achievement Fund provided annual allocations to a variety of programs on campus including honoraria for distinguished professors, faculty travel grants, scholarships, and specific funding requests for the Music Department, the Athletic Council, Honors Programs and Lectures Programs.

The Middle Years — Fund-Raising Campaign Begins

University President James Hilton and his legendary "dream," which eventually became the Iowa State Center, brought a marked change in the scope of the institution's fund-raising program. Convinced that plans on such a grand scale would require support beyond that from the annual giving program, he proposed the Iowa State University (then College) Foundation comprised of recruited governors and led by a board of directors. This original foundation was incorporated as a private non-profit corporation in 1958. These volunteer alumni and community leaders undertook ISU’s first major capital campaign.

The accomplishments in this campaign were nothing short of phenomenal. Within a period of six years — 1969 to 1975— the foundation and its hard-driving governors saw the opening of not only the four magnificent Center buildings, which were to completely change the image of the university, but the new stadium as well. The $27 million Iowa State Center project was a landmark achievement and drew nation-wide attention to Iowa State University.

The four Iowa State Center buildings, C. Y. Stephens Auditorium, James H. Hilton Coliseum, J. W. Fisher Theater, and Carl H. Scheman Continuing Education Building, were named for alumni. C. Y. Stephens provided the first major gift for the Iowa State Center campaign and served as the first campaign chair. James H. Hilton served as president of Iowa State University 1953-65, presented the idea of a cultural center at Iowa State, and founded the original ISU Foundation as the major fund-raising organization at the University. J. W. (Bill) Fisher chaired the planning and construction committee for the Iowa State Center, gave the main stage curtain in C. Y. Stephens Auditorium and other art objects to the University, and provided the major challenge gift for the Fisher Theater. Carl H. Scheman gave the major gift to complete construction of the Continuing Education Building.

Jack Trice Stadium (originally named Cyclone Stadium-Jack Trice Field) was named to honor Jack Trice, a football player who died as a result of injuries received in a game with Minnesota in 1923.

With the completion of those two huge assignments, the governors and the foundation turned their attention to other university needs. The old annual giving program — called the ISU Achievement Fund — and the newer ISU Foundation created some confusion among donors as to their separate roles. Although consideration was given by the governors to merging the two, legal issues made it prudent to retain the original foundation and the annual giving program separately. Therefore, the ISU Achievement Foundation was created in 1980 as a new, third entity and primary fund-raising organization.

In the early 1980s, the governors began a "Campaign for Excellence" to include $4 million for library expansion, $4 million for an ISU Center Endowment, $2 million for research and instructional equipment and $5 million for a general excellence endowment. The campaign was renamed "Excellence in the Eighties," with a goal of $50 million to be raised over five years and the added objectives of endowments for chairs and professorships, research grants and faculty enhancement, as well as Scholarships for Excellence.

When Charles W. and Margre Henningson Durham provided a $3 million gift to strengthen the Computation Center, $10 million was added to the campaign goal. By mid-1984, the campaign had raised more than $50 million.

In 1988, there became a need to fully clarify the status of these three fund-raising entities, the question was addressed again, and the following decided:

1. The ISU Achievement Foundation established in 1980 would be renamed the ISU Foundation and would serve as the primary fund-raising organization.
2. The old ISU Foundation established in 1958, would continue to exist since it owned some assets, but it would be renamed the Original University Foundation.
3. The oversight of the annual fund program — now called the ISU Achievement Fund — would move from the ISU Alumni Association to the ISU Foundation. This change was accomplished in 1990.

All three entities continue to exist for legal purposes, but the new ISU Foundation holds the assets and conducts the fund-raising efforts. Governors appointed to the Original University Foundation transitioned to the ISU Foundation to continue their active involvement.

Recent Campaigns

The five-year Partnership for Prominence capital campaign officially began July 1, 1988. The $150 million campaign goal was the largest campaign in Iowa State's history at that time and was led by national campaign chair, Owen J. Newlin, and national campaign deputy chair, Steven E. Zumbach.

Partnership for Prominence sought endowments of $33 million for faculty enrichment, $4 million for Parks Library acquisitions, $2 million for the Center for Teaching Excellence and $15 million for scholarships and fellowships. Also $16 million for new and enhanced programs, $17.5 million for equipment, $15 million for student financial aid, $2 million for international programs, and $25 million for the university fund for excellence were sought.

A $6 million goal to complete the obligation for the Durham Center for Computation and Communication and $5 million goal for the recreation/athletic facility were priority projects for the campaign.

At the end of June 1992, approximately $152 million had been raised and a decision was made to extend the goal of the campaign to $185 million with the same completion date of June 30, 1993.

On February 12, 1993, Partnership for Prominence had surpassed the new goal with a new total of $185,319,064. The grand total on June 30, 1993, the official closing date of the Partnership for Prominence Campaign, was $214,530,001. At that time, this total placed Iowa State University in 12th place among the top 15 completed public university campaigns.

In July, 1994, the ISU Foundation launched a $26 million campaign to secure private scholarship support in six categories: National Merit, National Achievement, President's Leadership Initiative, Hixson Opportunity Awards, Athletics, and general scholarships. At the end of one year, the goal was increased to $50 million and the President's Scholarship Campaign became part of Campaign Destiny.

Campaign Destiny: To Become the Best, the next record fund-raising initiative in Iowa State University history, reached an unprecedented $458.6 million during its five-year duration. The campaign ended on June 30, 2000.

Outright and deferred gifts to this comprehensive campaign exceeded the original $300 million goal by more than 150 percent. The original goal was extended to $425 million in 1998. The extended goal was surpassed at the end of 1999.

One of the largest areas for donors' gifts was scholarships. Donors contributed almost $104 million to create 614 new undergraduate and graduate scholarship programs, including the Hixson Opportunity Awards and Presidential Scholarships for National Merit and Achievement students.

By increasing financial aid to students through scholarships, fellowships, internships, and cooperative experiences, Campaign Destiny opened up opportunities for students in Iowa, as well as throughout the nation. Buildings and equipment was another significant area for donors' gifts. More than 50 building projects were earmarked for improvements in Iowa State's teaching, learning and outreach environments.

The campaign financed building projects throughout the campus from the development of Reiman Gardens to the enhancement and expansion of Jack Trice Stadium. Gifts were designated to construct Howe Hall and Hoover Hall for the College of Engineering, the Palmer Human Development and Family Studies Building for the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, and Kocimski Auditorium for the College of Design.

Additional major capital projects included: the Gerdin Business Building, Jischke Honors Building, Extension/4-H Youth Building, and the Roy J. Carver Co-Laboratory for the Plant Sciences Institute. Each was made possible through the generosity of donors, including ISU Foundation governors.

In addition to scholarships and buildings and equipment, Campaign Destiny gifts provided resources to develop new curricula for undergraduate and graduate programs through initiatives such as the Center for Entrepreneurship, the Plant Sciences Institute, and ISU's first named school, the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication. Donors' outright and deferred gifts also funded 22 new faculty professorships and chairs.

At its close in June 2000, eight of the top 10 largest gifts ever received by Iowa State had occurred during Campaign Destiny, and four of the top 10 largest gifts to any institution of higher education in the State of Iowa were given to Iowa State during the campaign. An $80 million anonymous gift received in 1999 was not only the largest gift to any Iowa public institution, but also the largest to any U.S. college of agriculture at that time.

Each year during the campaign, records also were set for the number of donors, reaching a new high of 54,083 in FY 2000.

More importantly, Campaign Destiny's success meant more resources are helping Iowa State advance its aspiration to become the best land-grant institution in the nation. Campaign Destiny's impact reached every college and many non-academic areas of the university.

With the conclusion of Campaign Destiny, the ISU Foundation entered a period of fund raising focused on smaller strategic goals. The two-year $50 million Investing in People initiative was announced in October 2001. Its focus was on securing gifts to endow student scholarships and fellowships and faculty professorships and chairs. The Investing in People initiative was completed in November 2003 with $51.5 million in commitments, $39.7 million for student support and $11.8 million for faculty support.

In August 2002 a campaign to raise $9 million to renovate historic Morrill Hall was announced. Built in 1890, Morrill Hall occupies a prominent location on central campus. The building had never had any major remodeling or upgrading. It contains 24,890 gross square feet on four levels. Unoccupied since 1998, its interior and exterior conditions had deteriorated substantially.

One of the largest grass-roots fundraising efforts in Iowa State University history which was completed in September 2004, rose the necessary funding for the renovation of Morrill Hall. Contributions from more than 2,700 private donors accounted for the majority of the $9 million needed to give new life to the 114-year old building. Three programs devoted to student learning will be housed in the reconstructed Morrill Hall. University Museums’ Christian Petersen Art Museum, the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching, and a new Center for Visual Learning in Textiles and Clothing will occupy the newly remodeled building.

A record number of donors — 55,279 — provided $82 million in private support to Iowa State University in FY05. The continuing emphasis on student support lead to 80 new expendable and endowed scholarship accounts, three faculty chairs, six endowed faculty professorships and one faculty fellowship.

The Iowa State University Research Park

A research park was established south of the campus in 1987 on land purchased by the ISU Achievement Foundation. The creation of the Iowa State University Research Park raised the interaction between the university and industries to a new level and facilitated technology transfer from academia to the marketplace.

A number of companies successfully progressed through the Iowa State Innovation System, an incubator center in the Research Park, and relocated elsewhere. Concrete benefits of the ISU Research Park included the creation of new jobs, collaboration in research, and the transfer of university technology to the private sector. The ISU Foundation's Board of Directors believed these endeavors would make Iowa State a stronger university and that the Research Park was worthy of support.

With a major gift from John and Mary Pappajohn of Des Moines, the Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship was launched at the Research Park in 1996 with two goals: 1) to create a culture that encourages entrepreneurship and innovation, and 2) to provide the tools necessary for building and improving Iowa’s businesses.