Big Ambitions Rally Bold Support

Six years ago, I had the pleasure of announcing the official kickoff of Boldly Buffalo—at the time, UB’s first comprehensive campaign in more than a dozen years. Befitting its name, the campaign had a bold goal of $650 million, making it the largest fundraising endeavor in our university’s history.

Thanks to the tremendous engagement of alumni, campaign volunteers, friends and partners, we exceeded our original Boldly Buffalo goal in 2021. Emboldened by your incredible show of support, we set our sights higher still, extending our campaign goal to a historic $1 billion the same year.

Fast forward to 2023. (Without giving away spoilers, this is where things get really exciting!) In our previous fiscal year, UB achieved an all-time fundraising high of $123 million. Included in that impressive total is a $40 million gift from alumnus Russell L. Agrusa, ’76, consisting of both a planned gift to the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and a gift to name the school’s forthcoming new academic building!

And now, I am delighted to share the most thrilling news of all:

With your combined commitment to UB’s vision of excellence, we have not only met, but surpassed, our $1-billion-dollar campaign goal a year ahead of schedule!

Even though this campaign is not over, I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to each of you for your generous support of our scholarly community. As we seek to position UB among the top 25 public research universities in the nation, your dedication has helped us accelerate the pace of discovery, make our transformative education even more accessible and prepare our students to lead in a rapidly evolving world.

Much like our Top 25 Ambition, our Boldly Buffalo campaign, from the start, has been focused on enhancing UB’s societal impact and relevance. As I walk across campus, I see evidence of our success, whether in our students applying their disciplinary expertise to societal challenges, our faculty conducting research that enhances health and well-being, or the dynamic culture of collaboration and innovation we are fostering in UB’s 21^st-century living-learning environment.

Later in this issue of At Buffalo, you’ll learn more details about how your strategic investments are being put to work in support of UB’s brightest future, as well as our plans for the future of the Boldly Buffalo campaign. As you read—and as always—please know that you have my profound gratitude for helping us realize our bold goals. On behalf of your entire UB family, thank you!