Prairie View A & M University is nearing the end of a five-year capital campaign established in 2002 with the goal of raising $30 million to enhance the overall quality of the university.
The campaign titled, Extend the View: Shape Tomorrow Today, has raised approximately $22.7 million according to Dr. Willie Trotty, vice president for research and development.
“The possibilities are good that we will reach the goal. We are pleased with the support that we’re receiving from alumni,” Trotty said.
Originally the campaign was scheduled to begin in 2002, but due to unforeseen circumstances, the committee did not actually begin to raise money until January 2003.
“The campaign was stagnant for about a year because the new interim president, Willie A. Tempton, died before he began his presidency and the campus was without leadership for around a year and half. Also, it was right at the end of the stock market crash that could not be predicted,” said Nelson Bowman III, assistant director for the Office of Development.
The initial phase of the campaign was pledges from faculty and staff and then moved to the pacesetter gift phase, which was pledges of $500,000 or more. The third phase was the major gifts phase which was for pledges up to $499,000.
Currently, the campaign is in its fourth phase, which is the alumni phase.
“We are asking 40,000 alumni to commit to a $1,000 pledge over five years, that is $200 per year and a total of $8 million which will exceed our goal,” Bowman said.
The biggest contribution came from a 1936 alumnus named Whitlowe Green who donated $2.1 million by living on meager means and upon his death, donated his savings to the university.
The money raised will support student merit scholarships, endowed chairs, building renovations and historical preservation, support for student and faculty research laboratories, athletic scholarships, student support services, and support for general university operations.
“We want to increase the number of merit scholarships awarded. We have been able to fund four endowed chairs as a result of the campaign. We have not filled any positions yet, but we have the money for it,” Trotty said.
Merit scholarships will help students who are struggling to pay for their education. Faculty endowments will help bring some of the most talented and respected professors to the campus.
“We have received money to restore the vet clinic which is one of six historic buildings here on campus, including buildings like Hilliard, Anderson, and Evans Halls,” Trotty said.
These buildings were built between 1928 and 1946 and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Monies are collected based on specific needs of the university. New research laboratories will enhance the quality of education.
“The College of Nursing made a proposal to Houston Endowment for state of the art technology like virtual teaching labs and human simulators and the Houston Endowment donated $2.5 million to our campaign,” Bowman said.
According to the original plan, the campaign will end in December 2007.
“There are two ways we can extend the campaign, if we don’t reach our goal or if we believe we can get more, but that decision is left up to the President and the capital campaign cabinet,” Trotty said.
The campaign is headed by co-chairs Don Clark, class of 1967, and Opal Johnson Smith, class of 1954.
Although the outlook is good, Bowman said that normal funding channels are drying up and the university must look to alumni for support.
“You have to remind your graduates because once they leave, they might not be as readily thinking of PV as they did when they were here on campus. Students can help by beginning to think about what Prairie View means to them and how they can give back in the future.”