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From a position of strength, inventive strategies and thriving partnerships, Northwest’s lofty aspirations to better serve Northwest students, communities and beyond swelled. A vision conceived in 2014 culminated July 30, 2021, with green streamers showering members of the Bearcat family who gathered inside the Carl and Cheryl Hughes Fieldhouse to celebrate the successful conclusion of the Forever Green campaign and the 50th anniversary of the Northwest Foundation’s establishment.
The event showcased the campaign’s significant philanthropic impacts on the University, bringing together donors, partners, volunteers and other members of the Northwest community. More than 18,000 donors representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia and 12 international locations supported the campaign.
That same day, the Northwest community gathered to celebrate the addition of the Agricultural Learning Center to the landscape of the R.T. Wright Farm. The $11.4 million multipurpose facility immediately enhances the School of Agricultural Sciences and its curriculum, with leading support provided by more than 50 donors joining the Homesteaders society through gifts of $25,000 and greater.
An earlier milestone of the campaign, the $21 million Hughes Fieldhouse, opened in fall 2018 with leading support provided by the Carl and Cheryl Hughes family, Mel and Valorie Booth, the city of Maryville and Nodaway Valley Bank as “team captains” of the Founding 50, a group of donors giving $50,000 and greater to construct that facility.
The campaign also delivered the Dennis C. Dau Endowed Professorship in Instrumental Music, a first-of-its-kind gift in Northwest’s history that provides special recognition to a faculty member for continued exemplary service in their field. Support of diversity and inclusion initiatives also were part of the campaign, led by a $1 million cash gift and the establishment of the Karen L. Daniel Legacy Fund.
In all, the campaign funded 22 named gifts of more than $100,000 and established 66 endowed scholarships. Ninety donors gave more than $100,000 throughout the campaign.
Despite a challenging higher education landscape, Bearcats rallied to help the University meet evolving needs, address contemporary challenges and enhance programs that prepare today’s students – and those of the future – for meaningful lives and careers.
In support of Northwest’s strategic vision, four initiatives framed the Forever Green campaign.
