The Campaign for Washington, the UW’s first major fund drive, is off to a splendid start with more than $135 million raised in gifts and pledges by Dec. 31. That total is 54 percent of the campaign’s $250 million goal, which the University hopes to achieve by the end of 1992.
During the autumn three corporations—Security Pacific Bank Washington, Weyerhaeuser and Seafirst Bank—gave major gifts to help spark the public phase of the campaign.
On Oct. 20, Security Pacific Bank Washington announced a $1 million gift, of which $700,000 will go to enhance minority programs, the largest gift of its kind ever received by the UW. The donation will help provide fellowships for talented minority graduate students and bring distinguished minority scholars to campus as visiting professors and lecturers.
On the Nov. 3 “kick-off” day for the campaign, the Weyerhaeuser Company Foundation announced gifts totaling $1 million, which will enhance the UW’s pulp and paper program and other programs within the College of Forest Resources, the College of Engineering and the Schools of Business Administration.
On Dec. 12 Seafirst Bank pledged $2 million to the UW to support construction of an Executive Education Center in the Schools of Business Administration. The building will have an auditorium and classrooms for M.B.A. and Executive M.B.A. students. UW officials estimate the total cost of the construction at $3.5 million. Boeing already has pledged $1.5 million for the facility.
The Nov. 3 gala announcing the public phase of the campaign brought more than 800 alumni, friends, faculty and staff to Hec Edmundson Pavilion. Among the speakers were Campaign Co-Chairs Donald E. Petersen of Ford Motor Company, John N. Nordstrom of Nordstrom Inc., and Gerald Grinstein of Burlington Northern Inc.
Alumni and friends in other cities can participate in the campaign as it begins regional efforts in the fall of 1990. Events are scheduled for Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York.