University of Houston roars with massive $1.2 billion raised in new campaign

BySteven Devadanam CultureMap logo
Wednesday, November 4, 2020
$50M grant awarded to University of Houston by anonymous donor
On the heels of its $1 billion fundraising campaign, the university announced the single largest gift in its history back in 2019.

The University of Houston Cougars have a reason to roar this fall. The school has announced a massive fundraising feat of $1.2 billion for scholarships, professorships, facilities, and programs as part of the "Here, We Go" initiative that closed on Aug. 31.

Specifically, the campaign raised $1,235,427,334. The final tally was announced by UH System Chancellor and UH President Renu Khator during her 12th annual fall address on Oct. 28., where she thanked high-profile donors and volunteer campaign co-chairs Tilman J. Fertitta ('78), Beth Madison ('72), John L. Nau III, and Marvin E. Odum III (M.B.A. '95).

The campaign, which surpassed the $1 billion milestone in 2019, some 18 months ahead of schedule, was designed to strategically transform UH System universities with priorities to support student scholarships and fellowships, build state-of-the-art facilities, attract and retain top faculty, advance academic programs, workforce training and research, and build a nationally relevant athletics program, according to a press release. It began in 2012 and launched publicly in January 2017, before concluding in August of this year.

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