Campaign USA, the University of South Alabama’s inaugural, comprehensive fund-raising initiative, has raised $76.3 million, surpassing its goal of $75 million. Campaign USA will continue through March 2009 to bring in additional funds that will support all aspects of the University.

The $76.3 million raised was through 36,901 gifts from 19,893 donors.

Campaign USA Leaders announced that the goal had been reached this morning at a breakfast for major donors at the Mitchell Center on campus.

The exact amount raised, to date, is $76,265,316.04.

Patricia Cobb Rodgers, a USA alumna, has given the University a $2.25 million estate gift  to enlarge an endowment for cancer research at the USA Mitchell Cancer Institute she started this summer. Rodgers’ $2.25 million gift, which helped Campaign USA reach its goal, follows her cash gift this summer of $225,000.

During Campaign USA, 465 donors have given gifts of $10,000 or more.

Campaign USA began its three-year public phase in March 2006. Prior to that, funds had been raised during a two-year quiet period.

USA President Gordon Moulton said, “The outpouring of generosity and support from our faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends has been tremendous, and it is even more meaningful during these difficult financial times. While this campaign is far from over and needs to continue, it is already improving all aspects of the University of South Alabama, from student scholarship support to faculty enhancement to improved laboratories and facilities. It has led to enriched campus life and improved health care for our region.”

Campaign USA’s Leadership Team has been led by volunteer chairman Jim Yance, a 1970 USA alumnus and retired attorney who also serves as vice chairman of the USA Board of Trustees. Yance credited the tireless work of his fellow volunteers with the accomplishment, and he said he looked forward to the next six months of the campaign to bring in more resources for USA students, faculty and programs.

“Our University wants to secure additional private support as a springboard toward even greater support for our faculty, students and to the betterment of our community,” Yance said. “We are succeeding because of contributions from throughout the northern Gulf Coast region and beyond to this amazing institution. I want to take this time to thank the Campaign USA Leadership Team members and the USA Development staff for working so hard to achieve this goal.”

USA Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations Dr. Joseph F. Busta, Jr., said the inaugural campaign was a testament to University alumni and supporters.

“For years, the University has led the community on vital educational, research and health care issues,” Busta said. “Now, through the generosity of our many donors, we are securing the future of the University and cementing its leadership in the community. We still have much hard work to do because, while we have achieved our overall goal, we have not achieved all of our individual college and unit goals. We will continue to take advantage of fund-raising opportunities for all areas of the University, while working especially hard to achieve those goals which have not yet been met.”

Campaign USA will enrich all aspects of USA, from its academic colleges and schools to its hospitals, athletic programs, libraries and campuses. The money raised will be used to fund such items as undergraduate and graduate scholarships, professorships, classroom and laboratory equipment, and health care innovations. Funds will also be used for capital enhancements to USA’s athletic facilities and a campus bell tower.

For more information on Campaign USA, contact the USA Development and Alumni Relations Office at (251) 460-7032.

Campaign USA Leadership Team:

Mr. Alan Alexander 
Helmsing, Leach,Herlong, Newman & Rouse, P.C.

Mr. Clarence M. Ball, Jr. 
Ball Healthcare Services, Inc.

Mr. Tom Bates 
Evonik Degussa

Mr. Preston Bolt 
Hand Arendall LLC

Mrs. Ginni Boyd 
Community Volunteer

Ms. JoAnn Broadus 
USA College of Nursing (Retired)

Mr. Tom Corcoran 
Fort Dodge Animal Health (Retired)

Mr. Dan Corte 
Thaxco, Inc.

Mrs. Lulu M. Crawford 
Community Volunteer

Mrs. Sarah Damson 
Long's Human Resource Services

Dr. Jack Di Palma 
USA Dept. of Gastroenterology

Mr. Mike Dow 
Centralite Systems, Inc.

Mr. Gilbert F. "Tup" Dukes, Jr. 
Smith, Dukes, & Buckalew, L.L.P.

Ms. Caitlin Collins 
President, SGA

Mr. Cecil Gardner 
The Gardner Firm

Mr. Mike Granger 
Compass Bank

Ms. Sally Laidlaw Green 
Community Volunteer

Mr. Jimmy Grodnick 
JMG Realty, L.L.C.

Ms. Sheila Hodges 
Meyer Real Estate

Mr. Mark Hoffman 
Community Volunteer

Honorable Samuel L. Jones 
City of Mobile

Mr. Paul Kirkland 
Gulf Stream Properties, Inc.

Dr. Jim Laier 
Southern Earth Sciences

Mr. Don Langham 
Community Volunteer

Mr. Michael B. Lee 
Page & Jones, Inc.

Mr. Bobby Marks 
Charter Services

Mr. Don McCrory 
Kiker Corporation

Mr. Bruce McCrory 
Kiker Corporation

Mr. Bert Meisler 
Rime Investments

Mr. John Mincy 
Ciba-Geigy (Retired)

Mr. Abe Mitchell 
MBI, L.L.C.

Mrs. Arlene Mitchell 
Community Volunteer

Mr. Lee Moncrief 
Wachovia Bank (Retired)

V. Gordon Moulton 
President, University of South Alabama

Mrs. Geri Moulton 
Community Volunteer

Mr. Jim Nix 
Community Volunteer

Mrs. Anne Nix 
Community Volunteer

Mr. Henry Seawell, III 
Thompson Engineering & Associates

Mr. Jimmy Shumock 
Thompson Engineering & Associates

Mr. Irving Silver 
Silver, Voit, & Thompson, P.C.

Mr. Sandy Stimpson 
Gulf Lumber Company, Inc.

Dr.  Steve Stokes 
Southeast Cancer Network

Mr. Larry Striplin, Jr. 
Nelson Brantley Glass

Dr. John Sachs 
Chair, Faculty Senate

Ms. Cheryl Thompson
Alabama Power Company

Mr. Mike Thompson 
Russell, Thompson, Butler & Houston, L.L.P.

Mr. Skipper Walters 
Walters Controls

Mr. Hank Wells, III 
Community Volunteer

Mr. Jim Yance 
Chair, Campaign USA: Leadership

Dr. Bob Zarzour
Alabama Orthopaedic Clinics

Mr. Tommy Zoghby 
President, USA National Alumni Association

The University of South Alabama

Since its founding in 1963, the University of South Alabama has been one of Alabama’s fastest growing universities, currently enrolling more than 14,000 students in a wide range of academic programs in Allied Health Professions, Arts and Sciences, Mitchell College of Business, Computer and Information Sciences, Continuing Education and Special Programs, Education, Engineering, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy. The University has awarded 62,000 degrees.