The McIntire School of Commerce exceeded its fiscal year 2018 goal by securing more than $7.6 million in cash gifts for the McIntire Annual Fund, Corporate Partners Program, Centennial Fund for Faculty Excellence, and other restricted funds. The School also welcomed an extraordinary $35 million in new commitments, providing great momentum as it heads into its Inspire the Next Century campaign.
Annual leadership gifts from McIntire Dean’s Society members increased in 2017-2018, with a record 523 members contributing $2,500 or more (or $1,000 or more for young alumni) to the School. These gifts are instrumental in maintaining and enhancing McIntire’s globally renowned excellence across all of its programs and services.
“This year’s exceptional philanthropy from the McIntire community has a tremendous positive impact on our students, faculty, and staff, helping to keep the School positioned at the forefront of global business education,” said McIntire Dean Carl Zeithaml. “Our continued success is the direct result of the incredible generosity of our alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and friends, and on behalf of the entire School, I express our deep gratitude for the outstanding loyalty and support of our community.”
Record-Breaking 2017-2018 McIntire Annual Fund Total
The McIntire School set a new Annual Fund record in 2017-2018, topping its goal for the 17th consecutive year. With support from more than 3,400 donors, this year’s Annual Fund eclipsed last year’s total of $3.9 million to reach $4.3 million, an 8.5 percent increase.
The McIntire Annual Fund is essential to the creation and expansion of the School’s innovative programs, which now include the recently launched M.S. in Business Analytics, a first-of-its-kind partnership between McIntire and the Darden School of Business. The Annual Fund is equally crucial to recruiting and retaining visionary faculty who are passionate about teaching and ensuring a lasting impact on students, as well as conducting groundbreaking research that informs industry and betters society.
Unrestricted gifts to the Annual Fund likewise enable the School to offer students vital resources, including expert career services, superb student services, highly regarded immersive global programs, cutting-edge technology, and outstanding support staff—all of which work together to provide employers of McIntire graduates with immediate value.
Corporate Partners Program Exceeds 2017-2018 Goal
Zeithaml also recognized the invaluable involvement and generosity of the School’s corporate sponsors, as well as the many ways McIntire students and faculty benefit from the close partnerships. For the 2018 fiscal year, the McIntire Corporate Partners Program surpassed its goal, yielding unrestricted cash gifts totaling $554,250.
McIntire’s strong relationship with corporate partners is an integral part of the School’s success, Zeithaml stressed. “Our third-year Integrated Core Experience (ICE)—which is celebrating its 20th successful year—is reliant on corporate sponsorship, because it allows students to work closely with a company to develop a comprehensive plan for addressing a business issue in a real-world context,” he said. “It also allows us to dedicate resources to improve on our hallmark undergraduate program, continually refreshing and updating its content for each incoming class.”
A Community Investment in the Future
“Contributions to the McIntire Annual Fund, Corporate Partners Program, and other funds are an investment in the School’s future, strengthening our commitment to preeminence in business education by creating incomparable learning experiences for our students,” Zeithaml said. “The remarkable dedication and generosity of the McIntire community this past year are a testament to our shared belief in the importance of preparing them to use commerce as a catalyst for positive change.”