Challenge Initiatives Leverage Support as Campaign End Nears

With just weeks to go before The Campaign for George Mason University concludes on June 30, alumni continue to step forward to be part of their alma mater’s first-ever comprehensive fund-raising initiative. The campaign total now stands at more than $126 million, which is more than $16 million above the initial dollar goal. Approximately half of the 93,602 gifts and pledges received to date have come from alumni, whose cumulative giving during the campaign totals $5.5 million.

Helping to encourage recent support are three challenge initiatives—two initiated by alumni—to assist the fund-raising efforts of the School of Management (SOM), the College of Nursing and Health Science (CNHS), and the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA).

At SOM, James R. Reynolds, MBA ’74, and his company, Logistics Valued Integrations Inc., have pledged to donate $25,000. A portion of this pledge will go toward a challenge initiated by Jeffrey M. Johnson, BS ’75. These alumni have pledged to donate $10,000 if 10 percent of the school’s alumni base makes a gift or pledge by June 30. Gifts of any size count toward the challenge.

And, Camille T. Barry, MSN ’86, DNSc ’89, and PhD Nursing Administration ’92, has pledged a significant contribution to the CNHS Annual Giving Fund based on the level of gifts or pledges received from CNHS graduate alumni before June 30. Barry, who initiated a successful challenge in 2004 to establish the CNHS Faculty Achievement Fund, is matching the first 200 commitments made.

In addition, a major initiative that will extend beyond the campaign is a $2 million challenge from Don and Nancy de Laski, longtime friends of the university, to fund the reconfiguration and expansion of the performing arts academic facilities on the Fairfax Campus. They challenge alumni and other friends to follow their lead by making contributions to CVPA totaling $2 million to match their commitment. Of particular note, the de Laski initiative has the potential to secure additional matching state funds.

For more information about these challenges or The Campaign for George Mason University, call the Office of University Development at 703-993-8850. To make a gift or pledge online, visit www.gmu.edu/development.