NORMAL (25News Now) - Illinois State University reported a record amount in donations over the past year, raising $8 million more than the previous budget year.
ISU Vice President for University Advancement Pat Vickerman said the university raised more than $52 million in private donations this past budget year ending June 30, and $44 million the previous year.
This has been a trend the past few years, said Vickerman.
“There’s real excitement for the innovation that’s taking place on campus, the many changes, the evolution of the university, and how we’re meeting the needs of the community, region, and the state,” Vickerman said.
He said donors are excited to support a successful athletics department, program excellence, and recently, some new facilities.
“We’re a student-first institution and the student experience is at the top of every conversation we have, so it all directly, or indirectly, benefits the students.”
A focal point for the university is providing students with scholarships, according to Vickerman who said the university school awarded more than $6 million in scholarships to 4,500 students last year.
“It helps [students] stay in school, it has helped us recruit students to ISU, and it has helped us maintain a very healthy enrollment over the last several years,” Vickerman said.
He said he hopes to continue to see donors excited to support their growing and evolving university, as well as increasing investment into ISU’s new engineering building on Bloomington’s east side. Vickerman said that facility is set to open for the fall semester.
