Michigan State University is launching a $4 billion campaign, the largest fundraiser in the university’s history, officials said Monday.
Half of the campaign will finance student scholarships and support for programs, followed by research, endowed professorships, capital projects and new programs. It will provide MSU with the “resources, experiences and knowledge to address the world’s greatest challenges, solidify MSU as a talent activator for the state of Michigan and beyond and create a thriving society,” officials said.
“In a rapidly shifting global landscape, higher education must adapt to meet society’s growing challenges,” Michigan State President Kevin Guskiewicz said in a statement. “This campaign is a consequential opportunity to ensure we equip every person to learn, grow and thrive while solidifying MSU as a global beacon of collaboration, partnership and opportunity that accelerates positive change boundlessly throughout the world.”
After a private phase of the campaign began in 2022 and raised $1 billion, the public phase of fundraiser was announced Sunday to a gathering of faculty, alumni, donors and other supporters, according to the university. Guskiewicz also announced the campaign during the last men’s basketball game of the season before the Spartans’ 79-62 victory over rival University of Michigan at the Breslin Center, capping a Big 10 championship season.
The theme of the campaign — “Uncommon Will, Far Better World” — is fitting because Spartans are passionate about making a difference, said Vice President for University Advancement Kim Tobin.
“This campaign will propel Michigan State University to greater heights,” Tobin said in a statement. “More, it will enable Spartans to do what they do best: leveraging their uncommon will to achieve impact for the common good — ultimately creating a far better world for us all.”
Half of the campaign money is aimed at student support with merit- and need-based scholarships and wrap-around services as well as serve as a “talent activator” for the state and beyond, officials said. Laying the foundation for this priority is the university’s first scholarship providing a full ride named after MSU’s first president and first lady, the Joseph and Sarah Williams Scholarship. The $100 million merit-based scholarship, announced in December, will be awarded to 30 qualifying undergraduate students beginning in fall 2025 to finance tuition, food and housing, and an education abroad or other opportunity for up to eight semesters.
“At a time when talent is the most critical resource for solving the grand challenges of our world, MSU is investing in people — opening doors, breaking down barriers and empowering every learner to thrive,” MSU Interim Provost Thomas Jeitschko said. “Our commitment is more than words; it is action. MSU is one of only four public research universities in the nation with both a higher than 60% admittance rate and an over 80% graduation rate — proof that access and excellence can and must go hand in hand.”
The campaign is hoping to advance critical discoveries through endowed faculty funding and private support for key research initiatives, among other things. It will also focus on addressing students’ needs and training them for the opportunities of the future.
“We must ensure that MSU remains at the forefront of education and research, preparing Spartans to seize the opportunities of tomorrow — whatever they may be,” said MSU Board of Trustees Chair Kelly Tebay. “Building futures doesn’t just take vision; it takes all of us working together.”
MSU’s initiatives comes after the University of Michigan in October announced was launching a $7 billion fundraiser, the largest campaign in its history, after raising $3.3 billion during its silent phase.
The fundraiser is the fourth launched by Michigan State, the state’s second-largest university by enrollment at 52,089 students in fall 2024. It is projected to conclude in 2032.
MSU’s last campaign, Empower Extraordinary, concluded in 2019 when it raised $1.83 billion after setting a $1.2 billion goal in 2013, according to Dan Olsen, an MSU spokesperson for university advancement.
kkozlowski@detroitnews.com
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