Florida Tomorrow Campaign

In 2005, the University of Florida began its most ambitious fundraising campaign ever — to raise $1.5 billion for the university. The seven-year Florida Tomorrow campaign recently concluded on September 30, 2012. The result? The Gator Nation exceeded expectations: More than $1.72 billion was raised during those seven years.

Under the capable direction of Beth McCague and Earl Powell, Florida Tomorrow co-chairs, more than 500 volunteers contributed to achieving the campaign objectives, including regional councils in Florida and across the nation. Both Beth and Earl provided great leadership and financial support to the Health Science Center during the campaign.

The Florida Tomorrow campaign directly impacted all of UF’s colleges, institutions and research facilities. This newsletter describes the part of the campaign that relates to UF&Shands. The efforts of our deans, hospital CEOs, department chairs and faculty — working arm-in-arm with their development officers — resulted in historically unprecedented levels of philanthropic gifts for their respective colleges and hospitals. This work has helped all aspects of the work we do, and is becoming ever more important as other sources of funds, such as state support, declines.

Since March 2010, development efforts at UF&Shands have been under the capable leadership of Mary Ann Kiely, who has orchestrated a team of deans, CEOs and 17 development officers to attract increasing levels of philanthropic support for our research, education and clinical goals. An important hat tip goes to Tom Mitchell, the UF vice president for development and alumni relations, who has provided personal time, effort and insight, as well as resources, to advance this work.

Shown below are some graphs that depict the size and scope of the fundraising results across the different components of UF&Shands. I think you will find the figures to be a truly remarkable reflection of the extent of engagement and support shown by our alumni, friends and grateful patients. In total, UF&Shands raised $519 million toward the Florida Tomorrow campaign.

A description of the results in each college and hospital of UF&Shands is as follows:

College of Dentistry

Teresa A. Dolan, D.D.S., M.P.H., Dean, College of Dentistry Thomas A. LaFleur, Senior Development Director, College of Dentistry

The College of Dentistry set a goal of $15 million in support of our missions of teaching, research and service. Our Florida Tomorrow ideals envisioned a future when dental caries is no longer the leading infectious childhood disease, where all Floridians have equal access to dental care, and a belief that excellence in dental care grows from excellence in dental education, scientific discovery and care delivery. By the campaign close, the college exceeded the goal by 22 percent ($3.45 million), raising a total of $18,351,270.

Of course the dollar amount only tells one part of the story. The true value of the gifts is in how we were able to leverage the generosity of our supporters to make a difference for oral health in our state.

We were able to expand annual funds to support our dental and dental specialty academic programs, establish scholarship funds, secure commitments for endowed professorships, strengthen our departments, programs and dental centers, and complete planned renovations. Additional support from corporate donors included sponsorships, gifts in kind, travel grants and support for research. One of our most significant outcomes was the establishment of a nationally recognized pediatric dentistry residency program that serves at-risk children in Collier County in a beautiful new UF facility on the Collier Campus of Edison State College.

We were successful because we worked as a team. Volunteer leaders, college faculty and staff partnered with the dean’s office and the development team throughout the campaign, helping to identify potential donors and build on established corporate relationships to move giving to higher thresholds.

College of Medicine

Michael L. Good, M.D., Dean, College of Medicine Kathy Murray, Assistant Vice President, Development & Alumni Affairs, UF&Shands

The UF College of Medicine continually moves forward in its missions because of the exceptional work of our faculty being energized by the extraordinary support we receive through philanthropy. The successful conclusion of the Florida Tomorrow campaign, which included the largest gift ever made to the College of Medicine, is testament to the generosity of our donors and the importance of the relationships that our faculty and staff help foster with them. During the seven years of the Florida Tomorrow campaign, the College of Medicine was the beneficiary of gifts that supported research efforts in cancer, gene therapy, diabetes, movement disorders and many other promising areas. A goal of $315 million, which was thought unreachable a couple of years ago, was surpassed due to an accelerating show of support as we approached the finish line. The final tally was $326,653,922.

Grateful patients stepped forward to offer support for the faculty and medical staff who helped them recover from their illness and for others going through similar illnesses or treatments. Alumni took up the challenge and made significant contributions to help us build a new medical education facility and to provide scholarship support for the next generation of great physicians and physician assistants. Finally, our donors answered the call to provide endowed funds that support our faculty who are national and international leaders in their fields. The College of Medicine led all other units in establishing endowed professorships and chairs. A tremendously powerful synergy is created when we share our knowledge and passion for excellence in medicine, science and education with those willing and able to support our pursuits of excellence. Because our faculty took the time to meet with donors and elevate their understanding of our work, the College of Medicine was rewarded with gifts that allow us to continue recruiting and retaining the finest physicians, scientists and students in the country.

College of Nursing

Kathleen Ann Long, Ph.D., Dean, College of Nursing Anna Miller Harper, Director of Development, College of Nursing

Over the history of the University of Florida College of Nursing, private giving has enhanced our programs and supported all of our missions. The college’s most recent seven-year capital campaign proved to be the most successful ever, surpassing our original goal and adding the largest single gift in our history. In all, the College of Nursing’s Florida Tomorrow campaign raised more than $16 million — $4 million over the original goal. These funds will support education, research and practice missions with special focus on expanding research, faculty retention and professional development, scholarships and fellowships for students, and enhanced practice activities.

Included in the $16 million was almost $3 million in scholarship funds, which will allow students to pursue their degrees, including graduate degrees, without undue financial hardship. Endowed professorships were supported with more than $3.5 million; one of these established the Dorothy M. Smith Chair, honoring our founding dean. Most recently, alumna Brenda Barton-Wheaton (BSN 1971, MSN 1973) and her husband, Richard, gave a $3 million gift to benefit education and research focused on improving the quality of life for those dealing with brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorders. All gifts to this campaign, whether big or small, truly made a difference to Gator Nursing and will continue to do so long into the future.

College of Pharmacy

William H. Riffee, Ph.D., Dean, College of Pharmacy Kelly Markey, Senior Director of Development & Alumni Affairs, College of Pharmacy

The college had 640 donors who established 27 new endowments, committed to 13 planned gifts and contributed a total of $16.4 million to enhance the college of pharmacy educational and research programs. All told, $16,474,577 was raised, exceeding our goal of $15 million.

Debbie DeSantis previously made commitments to the College of Pharmacy to create a professorship in herbal medicine, to enhance technology and to support scholarships. In 2011 she donated $2.2 million to the college, the largest gift in the college’s history, to expand herbal research and education. She is pleased to see her gift rekindle natural products education and research at UF and is excited about the college’s commitment to advancing this important field. “Natural products are an integral part of our therapeutic culture, and their chemistry is both complex and important,” she said. “That’s why education and research need to continue.”

Lawrence “Laurie” DuBow and his wife, Linda, gave a gift of $1 million to support Ph.D. candidates whose research betters the treatment of children and families. Helping to further education and improve the lives of children has been a big focus for the DuBows. Advancing the field of pharmacy is where DuBow has made his largest impact. “Pharmacy has just always been very good to me — and pharmacy in the state of Florida has been particularly good to me in my work life, so what better way to give back than to the University of Florida and its pharmacy program?”

Alumni and friends also created the “Paul Doering Excellence in Teaching Professorship” to honor Paul’s 35 years of service to the college and his unwavering dedication to mentoring and educating generations of pharmacy students. For almost 90 years the college has excelled in its primary mission to train pharmacists to be leaders in the profession and also ensured that pharmacists play an integral role in patient care and the healthcare system. This professorship will ensure that future pharmacy professors keep to that mission with the same level of compassion and dedication that Paul has shown.

College of Public Health and Health Professions

Michael G. Perri, Ph.D., Dean, PHHP Marie Emmerson, Director of Development, PHHP

The generous support of alumni and friends of PHHP will enable us to make significant strides in all facets of our mission of teaching, research and service. In total, $10,411,685 was raised, surpassing our goal of $9 million.

The establishment of seven endowed chairs and professorships will improve our ability to attract nationally renowned scholars — faculty who will enhance the educational experiences of our students while advancing our programs of innovative research in health care and public health. We are very grateful to our many benefactors whose generous support made this possible, including Dan and Jackie Devine, Rolf and Ann Kuhns, Louis and Jane Gapinski, Mike and Barbara Bice, Jeff and Monette Fitzsimmons, Malcom and Christine Randall, Elizabeth Faulk, Paul Satz, the James W. Pickle Foundation and Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Florida. We would also like to acknowledge the excellent support for our students that has come in the form of scholarships, fellowships and educational programs, endowed through the generosity of Sam and Connie Holloway, Miller and Toni Couse, Fred Berliner, Rod Baker, Neal Pitts, Kay Walker, Claudette Finley, Carol and Bob Gwin, Mack and Susan Hicks, Sue Osier, Troy and Julianne Davis, Jan Olsen, George Lewis, the Florida Elks Foundation and the Scottish Rite Foundation.

We are particularly delighted with the establishment of an endowment that will provide support for four Florida Opportunity Scholars (young people who are the first in their families to attend college) with graduate fellowships to pursue advanced degrees in public health and the health professions. Finally, we acknowledge two special friends of the college whose support has allowed our faculty and students to make important contributions that will benefit the lives of many. We thank Sam Holloway for his help with establishment of the PHHP Public Health Laboratory in Haiti and Byron Thames for his support of the Florida Trauma Rehabilitation Center for Returning Military Personnel.

College of Veterinary Medicine

Glen F. Hoffsis, D.V.M., M.S., D.A.C.V.I.M., Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine Karen Legato, Senior Director of Development, College of Veterinary Medicine

The College of Veterinary Medicine is a relatively small college, with 115 faculty and a total annual budget of about $50 million. Donors to the college were extraordinarily generous during the campaign despite the economic downturn. We began the campaign with what was thought to be an appropriate goal of $40 million and later raised the goal to $50 million. By the end of the campaign, the college far exceeded expectations by raising a total of $54 million. These funds were crucial in allowing the college to advance in the face of historic cuts in state funding. The new Small Animal Hospital building was an important focus for donors, with more than $10 million raised. These leadership gifts generated the momentum needed to fully fund the building by attracting state and other funds. The Small Animal Hospital sets a new standard of quality for the profession.

With the average veterinary student loan debt at $160,000, donors also understood the importance of student scholarships and provided $5 million in scholarship support. Faculty support was equally important to donors, with $4 million from foundations and individuals, including realized bequests. Program support and research topped $43 million to enhance and expand services such as our oncology service with advanced equipment including a linear accelerator for targeted cancer treatment and a state-of-the-art rehabilitation department with in-ground therapy pool, as well as the nation’s first dedicated Shelter Medicine suite providing spay and neuter and surgery treatment for shelter animals. Such programs provide critical clinical experience for students entering a highly competitive job market. The campaign was highly successful for the college. Our development and other staff and faculty worked hard and were able to surpass, by a wide margin, their goals. We are most grateful to our many supporters.

Shands at the University of Florida

Tim Goldfarb, Chief Executive Officer, Shands at UF Kathy Murray, Assistant Vice President, Development & Alumni Affairs, UF&Shands

Our friends and donors who support Shands at the University of Florida were significant contributors to the successful completion of the Florida Tomorrow campaign. During the seven-year campaign, Shands at UF exceeded its $75 million goal by raising a total of $77.1 million.

The campaign translated into major milestones for Shands at UF. Since 2006, it opened the new Shands Cancer Hospital, which features a Level I Trauma Center and the exciting addition of a new Pediatric Emergency Department. We also launched a Shands employee giving program: Raising Hope at Work – which benefited Shands Cancer Hospital at UF – and Raising Hope at Work for Kids – which provided funding for the Pediatric Emergency Department. Both campaigns exceeded all expectations, raising more than $1.75 million combined. Employees also participated in Children’s Miracle Network events, contributing a noteworthy $27 million toward Shands at UF’s overall goal.

Our employees’ significant and generous contributions continue to demonstrate their enormous dedication to our mission. The Florida Tomorrow campaign created a strong culture of philanthropy at Shands at UF that will have lasting effects for years to come.

UF&Shands Jacksonville

James R. Burkhart, M.H.H.A., D.Sc., President & Chief Executive Officer, Shands Jacksonville Daniel R. Wilson, M.D., Ph.D., Vice President, Health Affairs and Dean, College of Medicine-Jacksonville Janette Vega, Director of Development, UF&Shands, Jacksonville

The UF College of Medicine established its sixth professorship on the Jacksonville campus during the Florida Tomorrow campaign. This milestone was achieved through the generosity of individual donors and the establishment of academic and community partnerships. This particular professorship was established with the Community Hospice of Northeast Florida and the Neviaser Family. Their gift of $600,000 has generated real momentum in professional education and training in pediatric palliative care and integrative medicine. This professorship and partnership has served as a national model to inform other communities as they mobilize to develop pediatric palliative care programs, and as this discipline has become a boarded pediatric subspecialty.

Shands Hospital Jacksonville saw real progress during the campaign for its patient care initiatives, particularly through the community partnership with The RITA Foundation, which raised more than $800,000 to support the Shands Jacksonville Breast Health Center. These funds allowed Shands to purchase vital equipment, including a digital mammography unit that provides tomosynthesis, as well as three-dimensional breast imaging. This is the only unit of its kind in Northeast Florida.

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Taken as a whole, these stellar results that far surpassed previous fundraising efforts reflect on the achievement and reputation of the colleges and hospitals that comprise UF&Shands, which inspired many individuals, foundations and other organizations to support our efforts to discover, teach and heal. These results also reflect the extraordinary efforts of our deans, CEOs, faculty and development staff, who worked tirelessly to achieve this great success in partnership with the University of Florida Foundation. As stated by Tom Mitchell: “I would like to offer my heartfelt congratulations to the entire leadership team of UF&Shands for their extraordinary success in the Florida Tomorrow campaign. Your vision and the dedication of your entire team inspired donors to join with us in addressing the most pressing health challenges of our time.”Forward Together,

David S. Guzick, M.D., Ph.D. Senior Vice President, Health Affairs President, UF&Shands Health System