Northern Kentucky University recently began raising money to help the university grow and improve for the future. Although the campaign has not been publicly announced, NKU has already obtained $20 million of the intended $40 million goal.

The campaign was devised and prioritized by faculty, the dean, and the vice president of the university in the late 1990’s and went into action in July 1999.

Bill Burleigh, Chairman of the Board of The E.W. Scripps Company, Judy Clabes, President ‘ CEO of Scripps Howard Foundation, and Paul Smith, Site General Manager-Midwest of Fidelity Investments, head the campaign. There are over thirty other members including President James Votruba and four NKU alumni.

Currently, the program is in the “quiet phase”, said Deborah Read, Vice President of University Advancement. NKU will not publicly announce the campaign until Sept. 2002. It is scheduled to run until 2005.

The money will go to support and improve many aspects of the university. These areas include Steely Library, Fine Arts, Norse Athletics, WNKU, and the Colleges of Arts ‘ Sciences, Law, and Business to name a few.

The $20 million already raised comes from donations and gifts of individuals, foundations, and companies in the Tri-state area. Some of the larger donations have come from Ashland Inc., which gave $1 million. The Bank of Kentucky endowed $1.5 million, and an anonymous donation totaled $1 million.

“The campaign is centered on the priorities of the university; one of which is to move NKU forward,” said Read.

“Several years from now this institution will be dramatically improved due in large part to the generosity of individuals.”