College reaches $100 million in UI's "For Iowa. Forever More." fundraising campaign

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences (CLAS) has reached a major milestone in the University of Iowa’s
For Iowa. Forever More. fundraising campaign. More than $100 million has been raised for the college by the University of Iowa Foundation since the campaign’s beginning in 2008. The college has a current goal of raising $120 million in private funding during the $1.7 billion campaign, which concludes in 2016.

More than 15,000 of the college’s alumni and friends have made gifts supporting CLAS students, faculty, staff, programs, and facilities during the campaign. These gifts support the college’s campaign goals for ensuring student success; advancing faculty teaching and research; supporting academic centers and programs; partnering with the state and University on facilities construction and renovation; and securing unrestricted funds that can be directed to areas of greatest need. Read more specific information on CLAS campaign goals.

CLAS Dean Chaden Djalali said that the college has reached the $100 million mark because of the generosity of contributors who recognize the importance of ensuring that the liberal arts and sciences remain a defining hallmark of a University of Iowa education.

Dean Chaden Djalali

“More than ever, the liberal arts and sciences are essential to providing students with the knowledge and skills that today’s employers require,” Djalali said. “Our students learn to communicate clearly and articulately, analyze and interpret cultural and scientific data, work with others to identify and solve problems, and adapt to changing and unpredictable circumstances.”

Djalali said that the impact of the gifts received is far-ranging. “Every dollar we raise—whether for scholarships, for advancing the teaching and research of our professors, for building world-class facilities, or providing flexible resources to help us take advantage of non-budgeted opportunities—enhances our students’ educations and our impact upon our state, nation, and world,” he said. “All of us in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences are grateful for the hard work and leadership of the UI Foundation, our development staff, and our campaign chairs, Carl and Claire Stuart.”

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Iowa comprises departments spanning the humanities, fine and performing arts, natural and mathematical sciences, and social sciences. All UI students complete their general education requirements in CLAS, which confers approximately 70 percent of all UI undergraduate degrees. Approximately 45 percent of students who earn graduate degrees from the UI study in CLAS departments. Almost 56 percent of students enrolled in CLAS are from Iowa, representing all 99 counties.

The University of Iowa Foundation is the preferred channel for private contributions that benefit all areas of the University of Iowa. For more information about the foundation and the campaign, visit the foundation website.

The University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts and Sciences offers about 70 majors across the humanities; fine, performing and literary arts; natural and mathematical sciences; social and behavioral sciences; and communication disciplines. About 15,000 undergraduate and nearly 2,000 graduate students study each year in the college’s 37 departments, led by faculty at the forefront of teaching and research in their disciplines. The college teaches all Iowa undergraduates through the college's general education program, CLAS CORE. About 80 percent of all Iowa undergraduates begin their academic journey in CLAS. The college confers about 60 percent of the university's bachelor's degrees each academic year.