At the University of Dayton, we don’t just fly….We Soar! The University is excited to kick-off the public phase of its first comprehensive campaign in more than 20 years.

The campaign launched during our fifth annual One Day, One Dayton, a day when we celebrate every gift, no matter how big or small, from students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends from right here in Dayton and from around the world. We will continue to celebrate the participation of our UD alumni, friends and family who bless us with gifts of every size throughout the campaign as we climb toward our philanthropic goal.

The We Soar campaign is not for brick and mortar projects, it’s for people, specifically our students and the faculty and staff that lead to their success. The money raised will go toward:

• Scholarships - creating robust programs to assure access to great students who will benefit from the holistic Catholic, Marianist education and in the process make UD the best version of ourselves
• Experiential Learning - expand hands-on learning opportunities for all students on campus, in the community and around the world
• Academic Excellence - recruit, retain and invest in great faculty and staff mentors, and innovative programs and research that enrich the student experience

"This comprehensive campaign will enable us to enhance how we do our number one job, which is to attract, educate and graduate students who will go out and make a difference in the world," said University president Eric F. Spina. "We hear all the time that UD is a special place, and this campaign will allow us to make our unique, holistic experience – grounded in our Catholic, Marianist mission – more accessible to talented students, prepare them for their vocations with hands-on learning opportunities, and expose them to the brightest and most innovative educators and mentors."

The We Soar campaign will resonate with the already strong Flyer nation in its philanthropic goal to raise $400 million. So far alumni and friends of the University have given $325 million. The campaign is not just about raising money, though, it is also about growing the number of Flyers who engage deeply with UD. We hope to grow the number of volunteer leaders at UD to 2,800 and to have 19,250 Flyers join the Front Porch Society by giving gifts of any size for three consecutive years.

"We are grateful for our generous alumni and friends who have given during the initial stages of  this campaign," Chris Morrison, vice president of advancement, noted. "Now we’re looking to our Flyer family to continue to be consistent annual donors and engaged volunteers who can help us cross the finish line. It’s the strong support of our donors, faculty and staff that will make us successful in continuing to educate our students so they can make a positive difference in the world."

Check out how We Soar by reliving the moment of the campaign launch and become one of the many reasons our students learn, lead and serve by giving.