Division of Development and Alumni Relations

Carolina's Promise: Why it's needed and how you can help live the promise

Thanks to the ongoing support of Carolina alumni, faculty, staff, parents, students, friends and partners, we're off to a great start toward achieving our $1 billion Campaign goal. But it's your belief in the promise of Carolina that will make this Campaign successful.

Please take a few minutes to learn more about the University's needs and priorities below. Become a champion for Carolina. Invest in the promise of this great University, and challenge others to do the same.Together, we will secure Carolina's future.

Campaign needs and priorities

1. The University must continue to achieve its dual academic aspiration of increasing the quality of students and faculty while also expanding access to a Carolina education.

• With increased support, the University will accelerate its progress toward becoming a world-class institution that attracts top talent, and can create more paths to a Carolina education by expanding innovative programs like Gamecock Guarantee and strengthening our eight campuses that serve the state. We must remain true to our founding mission: “being a faithful index to the best hopes and dreams of all South Carolinians.”

• Private philanthropy offers the best hope for Carolina to temper growing financial pressures and cut-backs, maintain quality and keep tuition affordable.

2. All Carolina constituents have a vested interest in ensuring the University's and the Campaign's success.

• A strong, competitive flagship University creates many opportunities for its students and graduates.
• As the University's stature and recognition for being a world-class University grows, students, parents and alumni see their investment in a Carolina education and the value of earned degrees rise as well.
• A comprehensive research University has a significant impact on the educational, economic, health and social fortunes of South Carolina and the world. The University improves lives and tackles the tough problems facing society.

3. Private philanthropy is critical to keeping the promise of Carolina strong, competitive with other top schools, and attractive to outstanding students and faculty.

• Twenty years ago, philanthropy provided the margin of excellence for universities. Today, private support makes up more of the budget than state appropriations (9% of University's budget), which are declining rapidly. Strong private giving is now essential to Carolina's success.
• Carolina's endowment is not competitive with top-tier schools in the Southeast. Building a strong endowment secures Carolina's future and allows selective investment in our current strengths and in new opportunities.
• Carolina's recruitment of excellent faculty the past few years is paying dividends in the quality of classroom teaching and the amount of research funding attracted. But these outstanding junior faculty will be recruited away by better-funded schools if we cannot compete. Private giving helps retain our best faculty.

4. Flagship research universities like Carolina must grow and stay competitive with peers or risk a decline in quality of talent and education.

• Students and faculty expect to learn and teach in modern, state-of-the-art classrooms and research labs. Carolina has not built a new dedicated academic facility – outside of athletics – in many years.  In addition, the University must maintain the safety and usefulness of its buildings, many of which are historic structures. Private giving can make the difference in modernizing our campus and maintaining the quality of a Carolina education. The funding to repair old buildings and build new facilities does not come from student tuition.

Now is the time to invest in Carolina’s Promise.

Your support makes a difference. Give today.