Campaign USI took the theme, "Education. Taken Higher." to an extraordinary new level. The bold fund-raising initiative, begun on July 1, 1996, with a $10.5 million goal, concluded on December 31, 1998, with current gifts and pledges of more than $18 million, and an additional $6 million in deferred gifts - amounts far exceeding the challenge goals of $16 million in current gifts and $3 million in deferred gifts.

Total impact of the University of Southern Indiana's first capital campaign is $24 million. The ultimate beneficiaries, of course, are USI students and faculty:

• Campaign gifts and pledges of over $9.1 million to the Featured Objectives have been designated to the Presidential Scholarships, Faculty Enhancement, Technology and Equipment, Student Life Enrichment, or Unrestricted to Featured Objectives.
• Total gifts and pledges of $8.9 million to Ongoing Annual Giving programs are providing funding for the USI Annual Fund, annual membership drives for USI community outreach organizations, scholarships, athletics, and many other existing funds in the USI Foundation.

Ninety-five percent of the $24 million in current and deferred gifts and pledges to Campaign USI came from donors in the State of Indiana. Of that 95 percent, 87 percent came from southwestern Indiana and 83 percent came from Vanderburgh County.

The capital campaign was conducted by divisions, each with its own leadership, volunteers, goal and timetable:

Campaign USI's largest gift - the $2 million gift from the Robert H. and Elaine H. Pott Foundation - endows the College of Science and Engineering, which has been named for the donors. At the same time, this was truly a campaign in which every gift - regardless of size - made a difference. Of all the individuals, businesses and organizations who gave, 6,075 donors made gifts and pledges ranging from $1 to $2,000, which together totaled $3.1 million. (The $2,000 figure represents a five-year pledge of $400 per year qualifying a married couple for the maximum annual Indiana tax credit for gifts to Indiana colleges and universities.)The gift of $1 came from a first-time donor, a graduate who "just wanted to be a part of the campaign."