Alumni and friends commit more than $40 million in private support to Ohio University for third consecutive year

Ohio University alumni, friends, faculty, staff, students and parents once again provided more than $40 million in philanthropic gifts this past fiscal year, supporting OHIO’s students, programs and facilities. Theirs is a commitment not only to the institution's future, but also to the success of every Bobcat student.

In fiscal year 2022 (July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2022), 15,653 donors, including more than 8,760 alumni, made gifts and commitments totaling $43,232,566 to The Ohio University Foundation, exceeding the Division of University Advancement’s $33 million goal.

“The incredible support we receive from our committed and generous donors is essential in creating unique experiential learning opportunities and closing critical gaps in student success,” said Ohio University President Hugh Sherman. “I thank all those who chose to invest in OHIO and our students this year – your contributions help deliver one of the best integrated student learning experiences in the country.”

The transformational impact of this year’s major gift commitments from a host of generous donors is already being felt across OHIO. 

In July 2021, The Foundation announced a gift from Joyce N. Herrold, M.D., that extended the Ohio University Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program to the Lancaster Campus. Dr. Herrold, a native of Lancaster, Ohio, is a 1954 graduate of Ohio University who earned her medical degree from the University of Cincinnati.

Her inspirational gift connects a family tradition of support for Ohio University, starting with the Herrold family gift in 1816 of furnishing the lumber for Cutler Hall on the Athens Campus. Dr. Herrold’s recent gift also provides the funding to construct a nursing lab within Herrold Hall, improve a classroom outfitted specifically for nursing students and equip an open nursing practicum and observation lab, among other improvements.

On the Athens Campus, the generosity of Betsy (Williams) Lancaster, BSHEC ’70, has established the new Raymond A. Lancaster Executive Leadership Fellow program, housed in the College of Business’ Robert D. Walter Center for Strategic Leadership. The gift – the second largest ever made to the Walter Center for Strategic Leadership – honors the husband she met at Ohio University, his legacy as a business executive, his commitment to lifelong learning and his desire for fellow Bobcats to have robust executive experience opportunities.

“Every day, I am deeply moved and motivated by the generosity and dedication of our alumni, donors, partners, and friends,” said Nico Karagosian, vice president for University Advancement and president and CEO of The Ohio University Foundation. “Their love and support for this special University is measured in gifts of every size and propels us forever forward. Thank you to all our donors for their commitment to sharing the OHIO experience with today’s students and generations of Bobcats to come.”

The OHIO community also was inspired by its annual-level donors, who collectively gave $5.2 million in gifts averaging $420, and a median gift of $100.

The power of collective giving was most evident on the University’s third OHIO Giving Day, held in April. With a total of $865,877 in gifts in 24 hours, 2,041 donors chose to invest in the student experience at OHIO, funding scholarships, experiential learning programs, research, internships, co-curricular activities and more. The record-breaking totals nearly doubled those of Giving Day 2021.

Throughout the year, the OHIO family was inspired by one particularly committed annual donor: Gary Clark, BA ’60, who has now made a gift to OHIO 60 years in a row and holds the record as the longest-running annual donor. His story of dedication and love for OHIO and the impact it has had on his life inspired thousands of fellow alumni to give, many starting their own tradition of philanthropy to their alma mater.

The Give Like Gary campaign earned OHIO’s Annual Giving and University Communications and Marketing teams Grand Gold recognition from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education’s (CASE) Circle of Excellence Awards, a leading global nonprofit association dedicated to educational advancement professionals.

To join in support for OHIO, gifts can be made online at give.ohio.edu and checks may be made payable to The Ohio University Foundation, P.O. Box 869, Athens, OH 45701. Questions about making a gift can be directed to The Ohio University Foundation at 800-592-3863 or giving@ohio.edu.