Case Western Reserve University’s Forward Thinking capital campaign has raised $1.82 billion in gifts and pledges, greatly surpassing its original goal. Starting in 2011, the campaign originally aimed to raise $1 billion over the next five years, but the goal was adjusted to $1.5 billion in 2014. Forward Thinking was the university’s first campaign since 1994.

“The success of this campaign reflects the exceptional generosity of Case Western Reserve’s supporters,” President Barbara Snyder said, “as well as the compelling research and education that takes place at our university every day. I thank those supporters for their contributions, and the faculty, staff and students who so inspired them.”

Approximately 60,000 donors contributed to the campaign. The supporters included approximately 46,000 alumni and 34,000 first time donors to the university.

One major benefactor, the late Tinkham Veale II, gave a $20 million gift to the campaign, which started the construction of the Tinkham Veale University Center. Other donors include Capital Campaign Chair Frank Linsalata and his wife, Jocelyne, who donated to undergraduate scholarships, the Linsalata Alumni Center and the Tinkham Veale University Center.

An additional $393 million in contributions from other donors allowed for the construction and renovation of projects including the Health Education Campus with the Cleveland Clinic, the Maltz Performing Arts Center, the Larry Sears and Sally Zlotnick Sears think[box] in the Richey-Mixon Building and the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences.

Additionally, donations to the campaign helped fund 98 endowed professorships. Considered to be among the highest honors for faculty, the professorships help to both attract and retain top academics.

The campaign also succeeded in increasing scholarship support by raising almost $254 million in gifts and pledges. A mini-campaign is expected to be created at some point in the future as the campaign remains an objective for the university.