UA capital campaign exceeds $1.8 billion goal 15 months ahead of schedule

The University of Alabama’s surge of philanthropic giving under President Stuart R. Bell has propelled the Rising Tide 2.0 capital campaign past its $1.8 billion goal.

The Rising Tide 2.0 has reached its fundraising goal with more than a year remaining in the original campaign timeline. The University will continue raising funds toward scholarships, faculty support funds, and campus facilities through September 2026, when the 10-year campaign draws to a close.

“Hitting the $1.8 billion goal for the Rising Tide 2.0 campaign with over a year to spare speaks to the generosity and commitment of our alumni, friends, and partners,” said Dr. Stuart R. Bell, who will complete his tenure in mid-July after 10 years as the University’s 29th president. “This milestone shows the power of a community united by a common purpose: to invest in the future of our students, faculty and campus. I’m grateful to every donor who’s helping build on the legacy of The University of Alabama as a place where opportunities grow and students reach their highest potential.”

Under Bell’s leadership, Rising Tide 2.0 is the most successful capital campaign for higher education in the history of the state of Alabama. To date, gifts from more than 182,000 donors, including more than 106,000 first-time donors, have:

Generated more than 1,170 new endowed scholarships
Produced almost 70 new endowed faculty support funds
Supported the construction of more than 500,000 square feet of campus facilities

The campaign’s impact continues to enhance the campus footprint and elevate the UA experience, particularly at the Peter Bryce Campus, where 118,000 square feet of renovation at Bryce Main have resulted in the Catherine and Pettus Randall Welcome Center, which opened in January 2024, and the Smith Family Center for the Performing Arts, currently under construction and set to open in early 2027.

UA reached its original campaign goal of $1.5 billion in February 2024 and, two weeks later, announced the Rising Tide 2.0 with an enhanced goal of $1.8 billion. Since then, the University has achieved several fundraising milestones, including raising more than $261 million in charitable gifts and pledges from over 60,000 donors in Fiscal Year 2024. The total eclipsed the previous highwater mark of $226 million set in 2023.

On June 6, Rising Tide 2.0 received a significant boost from UA alumnus J. Frank Barefield Jr., who made a $35 million gift commitment to UA to name UA’s College of Arts and Sciences. The Barefield College of Arts and Sciences is the second college on campus to be named.

“UA supporters continue to rise to the occasion,” UA’s Vice President for Advancement Bob Pierce said. “The passion and confidence our alumni and donors have in The University of Alabama and in the Rising Tide is truly impressive, as is evident by their generosity. Dr. Bell has obviously been a key driver of this fundraising success, and his leadership will be missed during the final 14 months of the campaign. We expect to continue this momentum, however, through September 2026 to further elevate the University and benefit our deserving students.”

The success of the campaign since it launched in 2016 mirrors the University’s growth in enrollment, student achievement and nationwide recognition. In the last 10 years, UA has:

Surpassed 40,000 in total enrollment, including a record 3,482 Alabama resident first-time freshmen in Fall 2024.
Grown degrees awarded to more than 9,000 per year, while setting new records for academic success, including increasing graduation and retention rates.
Achieved R1: Doctoral Universities – Very High Research Activity status in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education for the first time.
Earned the distinction of Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. Students in eight of the last 10 years.
Completed more than 60 transformational building renovations and opened 26 new buildings, including Hewson Hall and Stran-Hardin Arena for adapted athletics.

Courtesy of the University of Alabama