Innovation and Opportunity – The Campaign for OU Concludes

The first-ever capital Campaign for Oakland University has marked a successful conclusion by reaching its goal a full year early. A total of $111,843,187.93 was raised for “Innovation and Opportunity – The Campaign for OU.”

“Four years ago we announced a lofty campaign goal of $110 million and an intent to reach that goal by 2010,” Vice President for University Relations Sue Goepp, said. “We have reached our goal one year ahead of schedule and together made a difference for our students and faculty. This is truly a shared achievement and one that we should all take time to celebrate.”

These funds will touch virtually every part of campus by creating new scholarships, establishing research endowment funds and making new professorships and faculty chairs available, as well as improving and updating classroom, laboratory and building space on campus.

The College of Arts and Sciences received a total of $9,109,245. “The campaign has provided the college with a unique opportunity to enhance its current programs and facilities while providing new programs for current and future students of the college. The generosity and dedication of our donors will help the college compete with the best universities across the state and country,” said Ron Sudol, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

The college received gifts in a variety of areas. The Richard J. Burke Visiting Scholar in Philosophy, Religion and Society lecture series was established through a generous gift from retired OU professor, Dr. Richard Burke. The goal of this lecture series is to create thought-provoking discussions between scholars, students, faculty and the community. The lecture series began in the spring of 2006 and has since brought four lectures to campus with nearly 500 students, faculty and community members attending its most recent lecture this past spring.

OU alumni John and Marianne Miller donated a gift to the Oakland University Art Gallery (OUAG) to support the gallery’s permanent collection, catalogues, exhibitions and other operations and programming needs. The OUAG works to bring stimulating exhibits to OU with a focus on contemporary Michigan visual art and encyclopedic exhibitions exploring historical, ethnographic and decorative art.

Patrick and Mercedes Nicosia donated a gift to establish an annual scholarship award for outstanding students in the Oakland University’s Music, Theatre and Dance Department (MTD). MTD is a leader for performing arts education in Southeast Michigan. The program offers outstanding educational and performance opportunities to undergraduate and graduate students. 

With a generous donation made by retired OU professor Joan Rosen, Oakland University was able to open the Joan Rosen Writing Studio. The writing center provides students, faculty and staff a resource of knowledgeable consultants and research in new writing and communication techniques. The center served over 1700 appointments in the fall semester of 2008, up from the 1600 appointments the year before.

Additional significant gifts were contributed by Gretchen Adler, Maggie Allesee, Henry Baskin, Larry Carey, David Downing, General Motors Corporation, Patricia Heftler, Barry Klein, Berton London, and Audrey and Irving Rose.

For more information or to give to OU, visit the campaign Web site at www.oakland.edu/giving.