BIG RAPIDS — Ferris State University extended a fundraising campaign by three years and increased the amount it hopes to secure from donors.
The Big Rapids-based university now aims to raise $115 million by June 30, 2022, through the Now & Always capital campaign. When first launched in November 2017, the campaign sought to raise $80 million by June 30, 2019.
The campaign to date has netted pledges of $78 million, or 97 percent of the original goal.
“The response to the campaign has been both humbling and momentous,” FSU President David Eisler said in a statement. “What we do here at Ferris is focused on our students – the opportunities we provide and the dreams they can achieve.
“Extending the campaign and increasing the goal will enable the university to attract even more gifts for scholarships — the first priority of the campaign. There has never been a better time than now to help us transform students’ lives.”
FSU announced the campaign’s increased goal and extension last week during the 20th annual Ferris Foundation for Excellence Benefit.
One goal of the extended campaign is to launch a second major phase of fundraising for FSU’s College of Pharmacy. The first pharmacy campaign raised $11.7 million, exceeding a $9.4 million goal.
The second phase of fundraising will go for renovations to the Hagerman Pharmacy Building, increase research and program development for faculty, and be used for pharmacy student scholarships.