The University of Texas at Austin is blazing trails with its philanthropic efforts, having amassed a staggering $1 billion in donor support for its students. This feat, achieved more than two years ahead of schedule, positions UT Austin as the first university in Texas to hit this milestone within a single campaign. The "What Starts Here" campaign, launched in fall 2016, now holds the distinction of being the second public university campaign in the U.S. to exceed $1 billion exclusively for student aid, as reported by UT News.
The campaign's total target is a mammoth $6 billion, of which an impressive $4.8 billion has already been collected. UT President Jay Hartzell highlighted the impact of this achievement, stating, "Our aspiration of becoming the world’s highest-impact public research university, depends on attracting the best students, supporting them and equipping them to go out and change the world." Hartzell expressed his gratitude towards the Longhorns community for its unparalleled generosity. To date, nearly 291,000 donors have contributed, benefiting almost 39,000 students since the campaign began, as per UT News.
Furthermore, hundreds of students have accessed scholarships via the Texas Challenge, a gift-matching campaign supported by The University of Texas System Board of Regents. This initiative, has rallied donors to generate nearly $90 million in permanent scholarship funds for Texas students in financial need. In the face of adversity such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the devastating winter storm of 2021, the UT community has demonstrated fervent support through various emergency funds, significantly aiding students in crisis.
Phil Canfield, a UT alumnus and member of the campaign's executive committee, voiced his pride in the community's engagement, reflecting on the campaign's success. He said, "As a Longhorn and a volunteer leader of this campaign, nothing makes me prouder than watching hundreds of thousands of our alumni, friends, faculty and staff, families and partners investing in our outstanding students." More than 300 scholarship and student support schemes have been either initiated or enhanced since the campaign kicked off, indicating a significant increase in support and student beneficiaries, according to UT News.
