An academically strong and talented student body, growing international partnerships, world-class faculty, and world rankings for its educational programs ... these are just some of the highlights of 2012 for the University of Cincinnati (UC).  As the University continues on the strategic course established with UC2019 -- the goal of which is to accomplish “a transformation that achieves prominence" -- private support drives success in every venue and every arena. Established scholarship funds, newly created educational and research centers, faculty chairs, technically advanced buildings and classrooms and laboratories, collaborations and partnerships throughout the University of Cincinnati all reflect the strong connectivity between UC, its alumni and donors, and institutional success.

UC completed its most recent fundraising year on June 30, 2012; at which time we reported $126,703,688 in total private support (July 1, 2011 - June 30, 2012).  The Proudly Cincinnati campaign had reached $928,149,118 and began FY2013 ready to meet and surpass its eight-year goal of one billion dollars. Now as UC celebrates the year’s end and anticipates the challenges of 2013, our generous donors have added $38,460,062 in gift commitments (July-November). Proudly Cincinnati stands at $966,609,180 (November 30). The billion-dollar milestone, the culmination of the most ambitious fundraising challenge in the University’s 193-year history, is within our reach.

Alumni and donors are integral partners in both UC2019 and Proudly Cincinnati.  They are UC’s strongest advocates and among our greatest assets. We close 2012 with thanks to 33,500 individuals, companies, foundations and associations. University alumni made up 67% of UC’s contributors this year, a strong testament to their commitment to the University and its future. Thirty percent of our 2012 donors were non-alumni individuals, friends of UC, fans of Bearcat sports or CCM productions, grateful patients, University faculty and staff, and others touched by UC’s mission and vision.

Support for the Proudly Cincinnati campaign initiatives illustrates that contributors endorse the future we all envision for the University of Cincinnati. Here are the campaign’s broad initiatives and the gifts they attracted during 2012:

• Real-world Learning - $10,171,828
• Health in the 21st Century - $9,942,032
• Pioneering Science & Technology - $174,736
• Creativity in the Arts, Design & the Humanities - $518,290
• Innovative Urban Partnerships - $4,177,948
• The UC Experience - $504,148

Through Proudly Cincinnati, support for UC faculty, funds that help recruit and retain the most brilliant and often the most sought-after teachers, researchers and mentors, grew by $1,740,705. Student financial support was strengthened with $2,773,964 in total gifts. Focused support for UC educational programs gained $17,061,030 in gift support during 2012.

In addition to campaign initiatives, donors to the University provided $26,016,677 in gift commitments to the Office of the President, UC Athletics, and a variety of other University-wide and college-based needs.

University of Cincinnati donors are some of the people who know UC best, and they often best know the challenges facing higher education today, especially for students and teachers. That is reflected in some of the major gifts contributed during the past year.

• UC received a major scholarship gift from the Robert T. Keeler Foundation. The Foundation created and continues to fund the Keeler Foundation Scholarship at the College of Law, making an exceptional legal education accessible and affordable for Ohio students. The College of Law is the nation’s fourth oldest, continuously operating law school with strong bar passage and employment placement rankings.
  
  
• The Alpaugh i-Learning Economics Education program is being created at UC with a significant commitment from Peter Alpaugh and the Alpaugh Family Foundation. The gift is the nation’s largest private investment to support online continuing education in economics. UC’s Economics Center is ranked No. 1 partly because of its high volume of students. The new distance learning program will make the center’s geographic reach limitless.
  
  
• The UC Epilepsy Center, part of the UC Neuroscience Institute, received significant support this year from the American Epilepsy Society Inc.  The Center is Cincinnati’s only facility with a Level IV rating, the highest rating possible from the National Association of Epilepsy Centers. This is just one area from UC’s Academic Health Center attracting support as “Health Care in the 21st Century” and “Mission-based Health Care,” for the future health of our state and our nation.
  
  
• GEARUP (Gaining Early Awareness & Readiness in Undergraduate Programs) is a federal college awareness and readiness initiative for economically disadvantaged youth. GEARUP SCORES! is a local partnership that delivers college awareness and readiness programs and services to more than 5,000 Cincinnati Public Schools students in grades 9-11. This program of UC’s College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services is supported by a significant grant from the US Department of Education and by community partners that this year included the Cincinnati Reds, Cincinnati Enquirer, Clear Channel, and the Cincinnati Bengals.

We look forward to the successful completion of Proudly Cincinnati in 2013, to celebrating the University’s 200th birthday in 2019, and to each challenge along the way. With the strong base of support UC has among its alumni and friends, its corporate partners, and its local and global community, the University of Cincinnati is indeed poised to do even greater things.

About the University of Cincinnati Foundation

The University of Cincinnati Foundation is leading Proudly Cincinnati: Tower of Strength, Rock of Truth, the University’s most ambitious campaign in history, supporting the vision for UC to be the finest urban research university in the United States. Proudly Cincinnati’s goal is to raise $1 billion by 2013. To date, more than $966 million has been raised for scholarships, innovative teaching and groundbreaking research.