The University of Tampa’s first comprehensive capital campaign in its 73-year
history has surpassed its $80-million goal, co-chairs Alfred and Beverly Austin
announced Thursday.
A $28-million gift from business leader John H. Sykes and his wife, Susan,
provided the impetus for the Take UT to the Top campaign, which was
announced to the public in January 2000. John and Susan Sykes also had made a
$10-million gift in 1997.
“The campaign has been a tremendous success,” Al Austin said, “and Beverly
and I are happy to have served as co-chairs, but you can never stop growing and
building in today’s environment. We know the University will continue building
on this success.”
To date, the campaign has raised $82,003,769.
Projects funded by the campaign include the John H. Sykes College of Business
building, completed in 2000 with $7.5 million of the initial $10-million gift
from John and Susan Sykes. That gift included $1.5 million for construction of
the Sykes Chapel and Intercultural Center, and funded a $1-million endowment of
the Center for Ethics.
Renovation and expansion of the Macdonald-Kelce Library, construction of Poe
Parkway, the new entryway, and the Vaughn Center — a student center, residence
hall and conference center — followed in quick succession.
The R.K. Bailey Art Studios, portions of which opened in January, will be
completed and fully opened this fall. A public dedication of the new facility,
which includes the new Scarfone/Hartley Gallery, is scheduled for Saturday, Oct.
2.
Renovation of academic areas in Plant Hall, the University’s 113-year-old
registered National Historic Landmark building that once housed the entire
University, continues, as does renovation of the Cass Building for science and
communication programs. Additional projects either planned or completed with
campaign funds include a communication production studio, a new interactive
language lab, instrumentation for the music program, upgrades for criminology’s
forensics lab and psychology’s behavioral lab, a high-tech nursing lab and
more.
“In order to continue to be recognized as a leading independent,
medium-sized University, we must always strive for excellence in our educational
quality,” said UT President Ronald L. Vaughn. “To do this, we must continue to
increase the University’s endowment, and expand classroom space, technology,
programs and facilities to meet the demands of our growing student body and
faculty. We have surpassed our goal, but we are not finished.
For more
information, contact the Office of Public Information at
publicinfo@ut.edu.