Letter from the Campaign Chair
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Earlier in our campaign, I shared with you the news that BU Law had launched a fundraising effort raising $13.3 million toward a goal of $20 million in support from alumni and friends for a transformative building project. What I didn’t share then was that this project is just the initial component of an even greater vision for the School of Law.
As you may know, Boston University School of Law has embarked on an extraordinary comprehensive Building on Excellence Campaign to raise $80 million in support of five key priorities: the building project I mentioned, student scholarships & financial aid, professorships & faculty support, academic programming, and unrestricted support for the Law Fund. I am very pleased with our progress raising support for the building while also quietly securing the lead gifts and pledges needed to launch the School’s overall campaign.
The School of Law already has raised more than $45 million in gifts and pledges supporting the above five fundraising priorities, an impressive 55 percent of our comprehensive campaign’s $80 million multiyear goal. Within this remarkable achievement is the magnificent show of support the School has received toward our building goal; specifically, we easily exceeded our initial $20 million goal by raising more than $32.8 million to date in order to transform our physical campus. The wonderful $18 million gift from Sumner M. Redstone (Hon. ’94), executive chairman of CBS and Viacom, to name our new building guaranteed the project’s green light for construction. This gift is the largest in the law school’s history and second largest ever to the University overall. We are deeply indebted to Mr. Redstone, and we thank him for his support and unprecedented generosity.
Yet, we are really just getting started! On the Founding Benefactor's page, you will see the names of the School’s most generous benefactors whose early gift commitments to BU Law’s campaign make up a majority of the impressive $45 million total we have received thus far. Among these donors are the Dean’s Advisory Board members whose advice and generosity since the early planning stages of the building project and campaign played an important role in our success today. This loyal group of distinguished alumni will continue to advise Dean O’Rourke throughout the campaign and beyond.
I encourage you to contribute generously to our Building on Excellence Campaign. Moreover, as you consider the most significant financial commitment you can make, I would ask that you please consider the impact BU Law has had in preparing you for your career and in enabling your success. Over the course of this important endeavor, President Brown, Dean O’Rourke and I hope to speak with many of you to seek your support for our great institution.
Richard C. Godfrey ('79)
Chicago, IL
Senior Litigation Partner
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Trustee, Boston University
Chair, BU Law Dean's Advisory Board
Chair, BU Law Building on Excellence Campaign