The University of Dayton formally completed its "We Soar" comprehensive campaign June 30, exceeding its $400 million goal by $53 million. The financial goal was not the only record-setting achievement of this effort.
UD's Flyer Faithful showed up in unprecedented numbers to support the University as new volunteer leaders and new members of the Front Porch Society. These achievements allow the University to expand the number of scholarships available to high-achieving students, guarantee hands-on learning opportunities for every student and support innovations across the University.
"This campaign wasn't just about fundraising — it was about building stronger connections within our Flyer community. It was always about people," said Chris Morrison, UD vice president of advancement. "More than 3,000 volunteer leaders stepped up, surpassing our goal. And more than 21,300 people joined the Front Porch Society by giving for three straight years — well past our original target."
Watch the video wrapping up the campaign here.
UD President Eric F. Spina said what makes him most proud isn't just the dollars raised or alumni engaged — it's the students whose lives were changed. He said many donors told him they gave because they could see the real impact of their support and it often mirrored their experiences as UD students. They were thrilled to enable the support of this next generation.
In all, "We Soar" helped establish 300 scholarships, as well as nearly 40 new funds intended to support the innovative, high-impact UD's Flyer Promise program; plus hands-on learning experiences, study-abroad opportunities, and professional mentoring and development opportunities.
An example of the substantive impact of the "We Soar" campaign is Flyer Promise student Elena Ramos who wondered if she would be able to attend college and was ready to drop out her first year after struggling in a course. She not only stayed in school but boldly announced to President Spina her aspiration to earn a Fulbright scholarship, which she proudly did. Currently, Ramos is a graduate student at Boston University, which she chose after being accepted to Harvard as well.
And there's Diego Buxeda, another Flyer Promise student who, with donor and University support funded by "We Soar," went on to graduate from medical school last month.
"There are many others who have been directly affected: students who got to travel outside the U.S. for the first time on a study-abroad trip; music students who could perform in a new world-class venue like the Roger Glass Center for the Arts; and the students who never dreamt of coming to UD, but did, met, got married in our Chapel of the Immaculate Conception and now have a child," Spina said. "At UD, community is at the heart of all we do. During 'We Soar,' we accomplished more than we ever imagined because we came together as a community in service to the future in true UD fashion."
The "We Soar" campaign saw gifts of every description from every corner of the globe from students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends from $10 to $10 million, with the median being $100.
"The tremendous success of the 'We Soar' campaign — exceeding all three goals by significant margins despite a pandemic and other global challenges — proved Flyer Nation can achieve great things when we work together. It shows our alumni and friends truly and deeply believe in the value of UD," said Deb Tobias, chair of UD's board of trustees. "The 'We Soar' campaign also is a tremendous indicator of our future ability to maintain the momentum of a philanthropic culture at UD. We're not taking our foot off the accelerator as we work to raise funds for new initiatives in the coming years.
"President Spina and I exclaimed at the campaign launch in April 2023 that 'we don't just fly, We Soar!'... and UD did exactly that in this campaign."
For more information, please contact Shawn Robinson, associate director of news and communications, at srobinson1@udayton.edu.