Bellarmine University Inc.
10/03/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/03/2025 06:25
Bellarmine launches $75 million campaign on 75th anniversary
Campaign will fuel student success, Catholic mission, workforce impact, and athletics excellence
On the 75th anniversary date of its founding, Bellarmine University announced the public launch of an ambitious $75 million comprehensive fundraising campaign. The effort, which has already been underway in a quiet phase, has secured significant early support and will strengthen the university's mission-driven impact for generations to come.
The campaign - titled "Honoring our Past, Shaping our Future" - is organized around four pillars that are supported by a strong academic foundation: student success, Catholic identity and mission, workforce impact, and athletics excellence. Investments in these areas will expand scholarships, faculty support, mission-related work, career development opportunities, and Division I athletics facilities.
Four campaign pillars, supported by a strong academic foundation:
Student Success
Catholic Identity & Mission
Workforce Impact
Athletics Excellence
"This campaign reflects the spirit of Bellarmine at 75 - honoring our legacy while building a vibrant future," said Dr. Susan M. Donovan, Bellarmine's president. "It is about ensuring every student has the support to thrive in mind, body, and spirit, while preparing talented graduates who strengthen Louisville and the region. The campaign will enable us to more fully support students through an affordable private education that prepares them for unrivaled career outcomes and a purposeful life."
Donovan noted that rather than focusing on large-scale construction, this campaign is focused on generating additional funds to bolster and expand university initiatives that impact students and the community, including college affordability. More information about the campaign, including a variety of ways to support it, is available at https://www.bellarmine.edu/75.
The campaign builds on the university's recent momentum in enrollment, student outcomes, and national recognition. In April, Bellarmine earned a new Carnegie Classification as an "Opportunity College" delivering both higher access and higher earnings, placing it among just 16% of institutions nationally recognized for fostering student success and economic mobility. Six months after completing their degrees, 99% of Bellarmine graduates are employed or continuing their education, an outcome that is 16% higher than the average for all U.S. colleges.
Campaign leaders say the $75 million goal is ambitious but attainable, thanks to early commitments from alumni, trustees, and friends of the university that have resulted in more than $50 million in gifts to support current and future students.
"Every dream begins with opportunity," said Dr. Leslie Maxie, dean of students. "Scholarships open the door for talented students from all backgrounds to call Bellarmine home. With your support, we can ensure that college cost never stands in the way of potential."
Maxie noted that 100% of incoming first-year Bellarmine students receive scholarships, with the university prioritizing creating more scholarship opportunities.
"I give to Bellarmine because I believe in its mission with my whole heart," said Mike Hobbs, who earned an undergraduate degree in 1971 and an MBA in 1993, and currently serves as a university trustee. "I've seen firsthand the return on that investment - not in dollars, but in graduates who are changing the world. Bellarmine gave me more than an education - it gave me a foundation for a meaningful life. If you've watched a young person's life transform here, then you know why this campaign matters."
"The investments we make through this campaign will echo for decades in the lives of our graduates and the vitality of Louisville," said Scott Self, Bellarmine's vice president for development and alumni relations. "This is about building on Bellarmine's proud traditions and positioning the university for its next era of excellence."
Campaign pillars and giving opportunities (click links for giving options):
- Student Success - Support scholarships, emergency aid, wellness programs, and basic student needs to ensure every Knight has the resources to thrive.
- Catholic Identity & Mission - Advance Bellarmine's Catholic mission and academic excellence by supporting service, faculty innovation, professional development, and transformative teaching.
- Workforce Impact - Invest in career development, meaningful internships, employer partnerships, and emerging academic programs that meet regional workforce needs.
- Athletics Excellence - Champion Bellarmine's continued rise in NCAA Division I athletics by enhancing student-athlete experiences and upgrading facilities for players and fans.
Bellarmine University Inc. published this content on October 03, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on October 03, 2025 at 12:25 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]