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Beyond Our Imagination

On June 30, UC San Diego marked the conclusion of The Campaign for UCSD: Imagine What's Next, exceeding by more than $30 million the ambitious $1 billion goal set in July 2000.

Nearly 45,000 gifts to Scripps Institution of Oceanography totaling more than $62 million have counted toward the university-wide campaign total. This included more than $12.9 million in endowment funds. These campaign contributions have made a lasting impact on Scripps students, faculty, research, and the campus as a whole.

"Thanks to our most loyal friends, Scripps has started on the necessary long journey of ramping up our philanthropic support to that of our competitors," said Scripps Director Tony Haymet. "The campaign success this year gives us a wonderful start in our first year of this effort. It's a great honor to know that so many donors have put not just their dollars, but also their passion and trust, into our institution as we remake our financial support base to take us into our second century of scientific research, teaching, and benefit for our community. Their support will be a driving force behind Scripps's continued high profile throughout the world, and we are most grateful for their steadfast interest and involvement."

Listed below are just a few of the many campaign milestones for which Scripps is most thankful and proud:

Support for Scripps Research

Private support during the campaign provided critical funding for a wide range of research advances across disciplines such as climate change, coral conservation, coastal studies, global pollution, and earth science at Scripps. Private support, such as that from members of the Friends of the Collections, also helped keep Scripps's "crown jewel," the Scripps Oceanographic Collections, operating as an invaluable resource for the global scientific community. Generous contributions totaling $5.4 million from the G. Unger Vetlesen Foundation and $2.4 million from the Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation led support for research at Scripps during the campaign. Former Scripps director Edward Frieman and his wife, Joy, also pledged $1 million to create the Frieman Endowment to support Scripps's leadership in new UCSD initiatives in earth sciences and the environment. Lou Simpson contributed $1 million early in the campaign that was used to establish the Scripps Genome Center.

Support for Scripps Students

A number of gifts for graduate student fellowships were received during the campaign, funding which has already gone to support outstanding Scripps students, and will continue to do so for years to come. Thanks to a $1.1 million bequest from Bettie P. Cody that increased the endowment for the Robert L. and Bettie P. Cody Memorial Fellowship, first-year students at Scripps received critical support. Scripps researcher Devendra Lal chose to lead faculty and staff by example, contributing $500,000 to establish the Devendra and Aruna Lal Fellowship Endowment to support creative and exceptional graduate students at Scripps.

Support for Scripps Faculty

Scripps faculty benefited from campaign funds through the establishment of four new endowed chairs, as well as two fully endowed career development awards both important incentives that help Scripps recruit and retain the best scientists.

A $2.5 million contribution for an endowed faculty chair by Ellen Revelle and her family will be used to recruit an outstanding climate scientist for Scripps. This was the largest single donation ever made for an endowed chair in Scripps's 104-year history. Three other endowed chairs were also established during the campaign thanks to a $1 million gift from Andew Benedek to create the Benedek Chair in Ocean Sensor Science, and two $350,000 gifts from Morgan Dene Oliver and John A. McQuown to create the Elizabeth and Morgan Dene Oliver Chair in Marine Biodiversity and the McQuown Chair in Natural Science at Scripps.

A gift from Audrey Geisel through the Dr. Seuss Fund at the San Diego Foundation, as well as other matching contributions in response to the Henry and Grace Doherty Foundation's challenge, helped establish the first two endowed Career Development Awards at Scripps. These permanent funds are vital resources as young Scripps scientists establish their research programs during the crucial early years of their careers.

Support for the Scripps Forum

Campaign gifts from numerous donors, including many from the Scripps family, paved the way for construction to begin on the Robert Paine Scripps Forum for Science, Society, and the Environment. Most notably, lead donor Sam Scripps contributed an additional $2 million toward the project through a gift from the SHS Foundation. This new, state-of-the-art meeting facility will enable Scripps to bring together the greatest minds to tackle some of the greatest scientific challenges we face today. Construction is under way, and completion is slated for summer 2008.

Support for Birch Aquarium at Scripps

Campaign funding allowed Birch Aquarium at Scripps to open dynamic new exhibits, such as "Secrets of the Seahorse" and "Feeling the Heat: The Climate Challenge," to help translate the science of Scripps to the public. Private support, such as that from Scripps Oceanography Society and Ellen's Circle members, also provided additional funds for the aquarium's education and outreach programs. A significant portion of the aquarium's campaign support came from the Stephen & Mary Birch Foundation through a gift of $750,000 which supported renovation of the aquarium's life-support infrastructure.

Unrestricted Support

Some of the most crucial funding for Scripps over the course of the campaign has come in the form of unrestricted gifts. These important, flexible funds allow the institution to meet high-priority needs, respond quickly to emerging opportunities, and invest in promising areas of innovation. Since the campaign began, Scripps's premier giving society, the E.W. Scripps Associates, has contributed more than $1 million in unrestricted funding. Additionally,  combined planned gifts of $1 million from David DeLaCour provided unrestricted support to Scripps and Birch Aquarium, and gifts totaling $500,000 from the Alan and Jane Lehman Foundation  added significantly to Scripps's endowed discretionary funds.

Shannon Casey

Related Links

• The Campaign for UCSD
• Scripps Home