For All We Call Mizzou Engineering

After rapidly exceeding an original $600 million fund-raising goal, in 2006 the University of Missouri’s “For All We Call Mizzou” capital campaign steering committee extended the effort for three years and increased the overall goal to $1 billion.

The College of Engineering, having successfully met their original goal of $40 million, upped their target to $68 million and forged ahead.

As the campaign approached its December 2008 completion, anonymous donors — later revealed to be Tom Lafferre, BS ME ’56, and his wife Nell — created a $5 million match, reinvigorating the eight-year effort. Their matching gift was designated to build a discretionary fund for the Dean of Engineering.

“Our college had a very ambitious goal that included funding needs for programs, faculty, student scholarships and facilities,” said Al Eberhard, Mizzou Engineering’s director of development. “ The generosity of the Lafferres created a wonderful opportunity for additional alumni and supporters to partner with our college in reaching our goal.”

Then on Oct. 24, a $1 million gift by another benevolent alumnus, F. Robert Naka, BS EE ’45, vaulted Mizzou Engineering over the top of its goal. By the time the last gift was recorded in January, the college had raised over $72 million to support the campaign’s targeted areas of need.

Commitments totaling  $1.2 million during the campaign have established at least 45 student scholarships. Some of these are fully funded, and others await the fulfillment of pledges or have been established as estate gifts, available when the donor passes away.

Additionally, campaign commitments of $4.5 million have established 9 endowed professorships.

Thanks to all of our benefactors—13,728 total gifts—and to those companies that matched 1,604 employee donations. Certainly the campaign’s 16-seven figure gifts from individuals and corporations are notable for near incomprehensible generosity and donors’ great leaps of commitment to—and faith in—the College of Engineering. But the nearly 9,000 gifts of $100 or less also are impressive and equally significant in catapulting our college to exceed its goal by $4 million.

Of the $72 million total, more than $27 million was gifted as cash, gifts-in-kind—things like equipment and software—and charitable gift annuities. Upwards of $12 million was committed in pledges, the balance to be paid within five years of the campaign’s close. The college also received $29 million in planned gifts.

Thanks to each and every one of you who chose to lend support to the College of Engineering during this campaign. We thank you for your philanthropy and for the positive impact your gifts have made and will continue to make on the future of Mizzou Engineering.