Tuesday, Sep 5, 2023
Campaign exceeds original goal, continues to raise additional funds for key initiatives
by Diane Cornell
Rider University raised more than $8 million in new gifts and pledges in the 2023 fiscal year ending June 30. The total bolstered the University’s Transforming Students – Transforming Lives fundraising campaign, pushing it beyond its original $80 million goal as it strives to continue to raise additional support for key initiatives. Rider also set a record for the highest number of cash contributions received in a single year for its endowment — a total of $4.4 million.
So far more than 15,000 donors have contributed to the campaign, with the University receiving 18 gifts of $1 million or more. The campaign’s remaining priorities include generating further support for endowed scholarships, the Annual Fund and campus facilities.
“Our alumni, faculty, staff and friends, along with our corporate and foundation partners, continue to demonstrate their commitment to Rider and create opportunities for our students,” says Rider President Gregory G. Dell’Omo, Ph.D. “We are thankful to everyone who gave so generously this past year. We invite those who have not yet made their gifts to do so and join us in continuing to transform students’ lives.”
In addition to exceeding the overall goal set for the campaign, the University is experiencing an uptick in new student and transfer enrollment. Undergraduate applications are also up over the past two years.
Our alumni, faculty, staff and friends, along with our corporate and foundation partners, continue to demonstrate their commitment to Rider and create opportunities for our students."
Six new scholarships were endowed this fiscal year, bringing the total number of new endowed scholarships as a result of the campaign to 43.
Among the endowments funded this year were those that were created to acknowledge or commemorate the experiences of the donors:
- The You Are Not Forgotten Endowed Scholarship, created by Howard Cohen '71: Cohen, who unexpectedly lost a parent during his freshman year, was inspired to create the scholarship so students in the Norm Brodsky College of Business who have lost a parent during their time at Rider may have financial support to continue their education.
- The Family Deeds Endowed Scholarship, established by The Family Deeds Foundation and created by Vincent ’85 and Christie ’84 Milano: The four-year renewable scholarship supports students of diverse backgrounds with financial need from Red Bank Regional High School, Vineland High School, Ocean City High School and Phoenixville High School — all are in regions of importance to the Milanos.
- The James H. '39 and Elsie Varga '39 McGordy Endowed Scholarship: The scholarship benefits students within the College of Education and Human Services , setting aside support for commuters, as the McGordys were commuters themselves.
In addition to high-level support for students through scholarships, other fundraising initiatives were also successful, including:
- More than $386,000 was raised from 1,448 donors in support of Rider Athletics’ Raise Your Game challenge. In this 10-plus year annual competition, current student-athletes, alumni-athletes and their family and friends compete to raise the most funds for Rider's sports teams. Athletics alumni made up 33% of the dollars raised and 36% of the donor total.
- More than $1.56 million was raised for the Annual Fund, a top fundraising priority that ensures resources are available to meet the greatest needs of the institution.
To learn more about the campaign or make a gift to Rider University, visit rider.edu/transform.