UB celebrates Campaign for the Community

Members of the UB community gathered Wednesday to recognize the hard work of the volunteers who organized the 2019-20 Employees Campaign for the Community.

The campaign has raised $726,154, 85% of its goal of $850,000. Chair Nancy Smyth said she was confident the campaign would reach its goal, as it has in the past.

The campaign is still underway, Smyth, dean of the School of Social Work, reminded those attending the reception in Bansal Atrium in Davis Hall, North Campus. She noted that donations are still being accepted through March 31, and that the celebratory reception does not officially mark the end of the campaign.

Smyth thanked everyone who worked on the campaign, citing in particular members of the steering committee and the campaign liaisons, who she called “the lifeblood of the campaign.”

She pointed out that contributions so far have come from more than 1,800 employees, of which 390 were new donors to the campaign.

“We do give at UB in ways that a lot of other places don’t,” she said. “This campaign is about nurturing a sense of community at a time when we all really need that. We have a country that feels incredibly divided these days, but we at UB come together to show we are a community and that we care about our community. And to me that’s the heart of this celebration,” she said.

“So thank you all for showing that UB cares and that we really make a difference here and many other places.”

President Satish K. Tripathi congratulated Smyth for her leadership on the campaign, and recognized as well campaign vice chair James O’Donnell, dean of the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, who will serve as chair of next year’s campaign.

“Service to the community is core to our identity at UB,” Tripathi said. “As members of a premier public research university, academic and research excellence are our priorities, but they are always guided by the principle of engagement.

“As we aspire to become one of the top 25 research universities in the nation, we are determined to make an even greater impact on our world. Our university community demonstrates this type of dedication with our Campaign for the Community,” he said. “And that is why it succeeds year after year. Because across our great university, faculty and staff like you are committed to contributing to our public service mission which, in turn, makes UB a better institution.

“I would like to thank all of you who contributed to our campaign,” he said. “Each of you has been vital to the success of the campaign. You inspire our entire university community and far beyond. You are the reason UB always ranks as one of the top agencies for SEFA in New York State and one of the top university campaigns nationwide. You are making a tremendous impact on our neighbors here in Buffalo and around the world.”

A key part of the annual campaign celebration is the awards presentation. Six units received a Topping the Charts award for exceptional performance: School of Architecture and Planning, School of Management, School of Nursing, School of Social Work, the UB Foundation and University Communications.

Jordan Chen of the Department of Economics and Lauren Brantley of Campus Dining & Shops were named Volunteers of the Year, while the Unsung Hero award went to Jill Uebelhoer of the School of Dental Medicine.

Kaitlin Williams of Financial Management received the Service Recognition Award for her exemplary work in helping coordinate and continue the campaign’s success.

The William R. Greiner Award, which recognizes an individual who demonstrates the same level of commitment to the campaign as the late UB president, was awarded posthumously to Julie Kopfer from the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

This year’s Chair’s Cup, awarded at the discretion of the campaign chair to a unit that achieved distinction, was presented to the School of Nursing.

The Bennett Cup, dubbed the “MVP award” and named after Robert M. Bennett, chancellor emeritus of the New York State Board of Regents and former president and CEO of the United Way of Buffalo and Erie County, was presented to University Communications. Bennett was on hand to present the award.

Those wishing to donate to the campaign can do so through March 31, the end of the United Way’s fiscal year, on the campaign website.