Under the leadership of Chancellor Tom George (left) and Martin Leifeld, vice chancellor for University Advancement, UMSL has raised more than $18 million in private gifts and pledges for scholarships, academic programs, faculty positions and facilities. (Photo by Bob Samples)

The new strategic plan introduced this fiscal year at the University of Missouri–St. Louis is attracting praise and money – in record-setting amounts.

Since July 1, UMSL has raised more than $18 million in private gifts and pledges for scholarships, academic programs, faculty positions and facilities – including five gifts exceeding $1 million. Last fiscal year’s total was $20.3 million. The fiscal year ends June 30.

“Donors have responded in an amazingly generous way to our efforts to enhance our academic offerings and graduate more people into the regional work force,” said Chancellor Tom George.

UMSL’s $1 million gifts include:

• $1.25 million from Joseph Stieven, president of Stieven Capital Advisors, to the College of Business Administration’s campaign for a new building

• $1 million from Wayne DeVeydt, executive vice president and chief financial officer of WellPoint, Inc., to the College of Business Administration’s campaign for a new building

• $1 million from Emily Rauh Pulitzer, founder of the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts, to the merger of the St. Louis Beacon with St. Louis Public Radio | 90.7 KWMU, a UMSL service

• $1 million unrestricted gift from Helen S. Shopmaker

• $1 million anonymous gift for the John N. Hoover Endowed Executive Directorship at the St. Louis Mercantile Library at UMSL

UMSL’s strategic plan is an integrated effort to create an environment for academic excellence and student success, with the overarching goal of increasing the annual number of degrees granted to 3,600 from 3,000 by 2018.