From a festival on The Green to a luncheon honoring volunteers, from a celebration of innovation to a spirited tailgate in the Bob Carpenter Center, Delaware First: The Campaign for the University of Delaware is everywhere this weekend.

As the largest engagement and fundraising campaign in UD’s history with a goal of $750 million, Delaware First seeks to create extraordinary student experiences at UD and extend the University’s impact on the region and the world.  A true “community campaign,” Delaware First will rally Blue Hens everywhere to raise funds for student scholarships, endowed professorships, graduate fellowships, research, facilities and experiential learning opportunities across UD.

Calling the campaign a historic moment for UD and its community, President Dennis Assanis is challenging Blue Hens around the world to get engaged and to think about how they can create opportunities both on campus and beyond.

“UD has the passion, the character and intellectual power to help solve some of the world’s most complex challenges,” said Assanis. “This is our moment to look toward the future and help create solutions for today and tomorrow. I ask students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents, families and friends of this great University to help us build on our promise and potential…and it all starts by working together.”

The Delaware First campaign includes multiple initiatives aimed at transforming UD’s campus, such as the advancement of graduate education, support for innovation and entrepreneurship programs like the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL), the creation of new partnerships in public policy through the Biden Institute, and enhancement of UD Athletics facilities.

Thanks to the generosity of many donors who have helped lay the foundation for the campaign’s success, Delaware First is already well on its way to realizing those objectives. To date, the campaign has raised more than $565 million, or more than 75 percent of its $750 million goal. That total includes three recent gifts announced over the weekend:

• $25 million from trustee Carol A. Ammon and alumna Marie E. Pinizzotto, M.D., in support of the new Biopharmaceutical Innovation Building underway on UD’s STAR Campus;
• $10 million from UD trustee Stuart M. Grant and his wife, Suzanne B. Grant, dedicated to transforming graduate education at the University; and
• $10 million from alumnus and trustee Kenneth C. Whitney and his wife, Elizabeth K. Whitney, in support of the new Athletic Center for student athletes.

“This campaign really is about the power of inspiration,” says Jim Dicker, vice president of development and alumni relations. “UD has the power to do good and inspire others to do the same.  Through Delaware First, we can leverage our resources, talent and know-how to create opportunities and change lives for the better, and it all starts right here on campus.”

More information on the Delaware First priorities can be found here.

To stay updated on the campaign or learn how to get involved, visit www.udel.edu/delawarefirst.