What's Next, Starts Now

Dear Faculty and Staff,

Tomorrow, Nov. 9, marks 200 years to the day that the first classes were held at UC, and this weekend we will conclude the yearlong celebration of our Bicentennial. I hope you will join in the festivities of the Bicentennial Bash this evening and tomorrow’s Homecoming Parade and football game.

As we take stock of our 200-year history and cross the threshold into UC’s third century, we have taken to heart our responsibility to those who came before us and to those who will follow us to shape a thriving future for our university, supported by a new comprehensive fund-raising campaign. Launching six years after the close of UC’s last campaign, we have joined with UC Health and the UC Foundation, led by Peter Landgren, to set a goal of raising at least $2 billion over the next five years through Next, Now: The Campaign for Cincinnati. 

Our fundraising efforts will be focused on three broad areas aligned to our Next Lives Here strategic direction:  

• Empowering Our Next Leaders
  
• Exploring Our Next Frontier
• Embracing Our Next Purpose

With the financial support of our generous alumni, friends, faculty, staff, and partners — and, yes, you — we will be able to forge new pathways to success for students; invigorate breakthroughs, cures and creativity; and turn challenges into opportunities to make a difference. The possibilities we will realize through a new level of fundraising will support our vision as a public research university to provide students with access to top quality and affordable education, to attract and retain world-class faculty, and to strengthen communities and transform lives.

At 200 years, we stand at a pivotal moment. This is our moment to be bold and ambitious about the university’s future. Our city, our state, our region — and our world — are depending on us. We’re ready, and our purpose is clear. 

Happy 200th Birthday, UC family! We now begin our next two centuries. I look forward to working with all of you as we begin today to create the future we know is possible. Through our collective action, the University of Cincinnati will become an institution with even greater innovation, inclusion and impact – a university that shows the world what’s next. 

With deep gratitude and warm regards,

Neville G. Pinto
President