University Times

Pitt’s Bradford campus plans to raise $13 million to continue capital projects, provide academic support, enhance technology and create new scholarships.

Howard L. Fesenmyer, the “Complete the Campus” campaign chairman, announced the goal this month.

“Completing the campus,” Fesenmyer said, “means having the best resources to recruit and retain the best students and faculty and design and equip the smartest classrooms with the appropriate technology situated in a beautifully efficient campus. These goals are essential to providing educational opportunities to the people of this region.”

The money raised through the five-year campaign will be used in four ways:

• $5 million will be used to continue to develop the campus’s physical plant, which, in addition to the renovation/expansion of the Frame-Westerberg Commons, includes plans to renovate Swarts Hall, build a non-denominational chapel and enhance the Kessel Athletic Complex. The campus master facilities plan also calls for three new residence halls, which will be funded by the University.

• $2 million will be used for academic support, which will include creating UPB’s first endowed professorship, establishing fine arts and communication arts endowments and creating endowments for the sciences.

• $3 million will be used to improve and maintain new technology, including equipment, programs and a technology endowment.

• $3 million will be earmarked to create new scholarships.

Campaign vice chairman Greg W. Booth said that to date the campaign totaled $7,237,111 in gifts and pledges, which were raised during the quiet phase. This represents 56 percent of the campaign goal.

Karen Niemic Buchheit, director of institutional advancement and assistant to the president, said, “This is the largest capital campaign in Pitt-Bradford’s history, and we are off to a solid start with major gifts from KOA Speer, Zippo Manufacturing and the Dorothy Reed estate, among others.”

Campaign leaders Fesenmyer and Booth both are members of the advisory board and its executive committee and co-chairs of the Development Council at Pitt-Bradford.

Other members of the campaign leadership team include: Craig Hartburg and Dennis Lowery, alumni co-chairmen; James Guelfi, memorial and tribute chairman; William Chapman, planned giving chairman; and J. Michael Mitchell, annual giving fund chairman.

Committee members and division leaders are Karen Niemic Buchheit, R. Michael Carlson, Martin Digel, Pamela Fredeen, David Higie, Jacquelyn Jones, Ann Kessel, William Krieg, Marcell Mallette, Mike Martin, Jeff Rice, William Shields and Woody Woodruff.