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Rice sets billion-dollar goal, receives engineering boost
Rice University has launched its largest fundraising campaign ever — $1 billion — to train more student leaders, boost its research program and expand its community and international outreach during the university’s next century.
“Four years short of a century ago, the founding president of Rice announced that this new educational institution would set no upper limit on our endeavors as a university,” said Rice President David Leebron. “As we approach the century mark and look back with pride on what has been achieved, we continue to embrace that aspiration as we look forward to the next 100 years.”
Rice will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2012. In announcing the Centennial Campaign, Leebron said the initiative will provide resources the university needs to achieve the goals of its Vision for the Second Century, which include strengthening its research, increasing scholarship resources, expanding its undergraduate enrollment by 30 percent, building stronger connections to its home city of Houston and enhancing its global presence and opportunities.
The campaign goal includes $400 million for undergraduate and graduate education, $310 million for research and $290 million for collaborations with leading institutions in Houston and initiatives around the globe.
Leebron noted the campaign launch comes at a difficult time as the Houston area continues to recover from Hurricane Ike and as people around the world cope with economic volatility. “We cannot ignore these considerable events that have affected the lives of so many in our community,” he said. “But an investment in Rice — in education and research — is for the long term, with lasting dividends in the form of opportunities for our students and the production of new knowledge that helps foster economic growth and improved living standards.
Two Rice University alumni with engineering degrees — he a famed venture capitalist, she an environmental activist — have given their alma mater $15 million to transform the way engineers are educated.
The gift from the Benificus Foundation, a private charitable organization set up by alumni John and Ann Doerr, will fund the new Rice Center for Engineering Leadership and raise the bar for engineering educators nationwide. The center’s mission is to broaden Rice engineering education by incorporating current and emerging crises facing society and developing personal leadership skills needed to solve pressing global problems. The gift supports Rice’s Centennial Campaign, which was launched today.
“We are grateful for this extraordinary gift, which is generous not only in amount but in vision,” said Rice President David Leebron. “There is no limit to what talented and imaginative engineers will be able to achieve, and the education this gift makes possible will enable Rice to produce some of the great engineers who will help solve the big challenges facing our world.”
“Four years short of a century ago, the founding president of Rice announced that this new educational institution would set no upper limit on our endeavors as a university,” said Rice President David Leebron. “As we approach the century mark and look back with pride on what has been achieved, we continue to embrace that aspiration as we look forward to the next 100 years.”
Rice will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2012. In announcing the Centennial Campaign, Leebron said the initiative will provide resources the university needs to achieve the goals of its Vision for the Second Century, which include strengthening its research, increasing scholarship resources, expanding its undergraduate enrollment by 30 percent, building stronger connections to its home city of Houston and enhancing its global presence and opportunities.
The campaign goal includes $400 million for undergraduate and graduate education, $310 million for research and $290 million for collaborations with leading institutions in Houston and initiatives around the globe.
Leebron noted the campaign launch comes at a difficult time as the Houston area continues to recover from Hurricane Ike and as people around the world cope with economic volatility. “We cannot ignore these considerable events that have affected the lives of so many in our community,” he said. “But an investment in Rice — in education and research — is for the long term, with lasting dividends in the form of opportunities for our students and the production of new knowledge that helps foster economic growth and improved living standards.
Two Rice University alumni with engineering degrees — he a famed venture capitalist, she an environmental activist — have given their alma mater $15 million to transform the way engineers are educated.
The gift from the Benificus Foundation, a private charitable organization set up by alumni John and Ann Doerr, will fund the new Rice Center for Engineering Leadership and raise the bar for engineering educators nationwide. The center’s mission is to broaden Rice engineering education by incorporating current and emerging crises facing society and developing personal leadership skills needed to solve pressing global problems. The gift supports Rice’s Centennial Campaign, which was launched today.
“We are grateful for this extraordinary gift, which is generous not only in amount but in vision,” said Rice President David Leebron. “There is no limit to what talented and imaginative engineers will be able to achieve, and the education this gift makes possible will enable Rice to produce some of the great engineers who will help solve the big challenges facing our world.”
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