Bowie State University Reaches $50M Campaign Goal 2.5 Years Ahead Of Schedule

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — Bowie State University, the first HBCU in Maryland, has met its goal of raising $50 million as part of its fundraising campaign, BSU Bold: The Campaign for Excellence. This goal has been attained 2.5 years ahead of the scheduled 2025 closing date.

As the largest campaign in the history of the university, organizers credit its success to stronger ties with the university’s professional fundraising organization and developing new relationships with alumni, friends, corporations and foundations.

As part of the campaign, gifts have been raised for a variety of purposes including the endowment, which has increased more than 500 percent from $7 million to $40 million. The growth will allow the university to extend a new level of private scholarship funding for students.

“We have not wasted a moment asking our philanthropic partners to invest in the success of our students through this campaign,” said Aminta Breaux, president of Bowie State University. “We are appreciative of all the individuals and organizations who have invested in our historic institution. Now we’re able to provide more of our students with scholarships. While we have met our initial campaign goal of $50 million – we are challenged and inspired to continue our fundraising and expand the campaign, inviting others to join as we raise an unprecedented level of support for our students. We must continue and work to help make college more affordable and reduce student loan debt.”

Bowie State University is one of 12 institutions and three regional centers in the University System of Maryland, and is one of only two institutions in the system with an increase in enrollment between 2017 and 2022, leaders noted.

“The university is attracting students from all backgrounds and is growing rapidly due to new degree and certificate programs, our facilities and a faculty and administration committed to providing students with a high-quality higher education experience,” Breaux said. “Our first-time applications and freshman enrollment are up, and we have more students requesting on campus housing.”

The public phase of BSU’s Campaign for Excellence began in December 2021, in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic and required the university to fine tune its fundraising processes and organizational structure. A unit dedicated to administering privately funded scholarships was established in the Office of Financial Aid, along with new stewardship and alumni engagement units created within what is now known as the Division of Institutional Advancement. In executing the initial phase of the campaign, the university leveraged technology and implemented industry best practices to engage with potential supporters.

“Given the urgency of the moment, the Campaign for Excellence will not only continue, but we are accelerating into an expanded goal, a larger scope, and frankly, higher expectations commensurate with Bowie State’s increased prominence and visibility,” said Brent Swinton, vice president for Institutional Advancement. “Besides scholarships and academic programs, the expanded campaign will also highlight BSU’s athletic programs (which do not receive any state funding), fine arts, nursing and the university’s entrepreneurship education ecosystem.”

Efforts are underway regionally to further cultivate philanthropic support for the university among local communities.

“We’re fortunate that our unique local footprint includes Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, two major markets where corporations and agencies see the value in partnering with BSU,” Swinton said. “As we move forward with an extended campaign, we’ll work closely with our friends and affiliated organizations to generate more awareness of the world-class educational opportunities offered at Bowie State.”

Some of the major contributors during the Campaign for Excellence to date include Adobe, Baltimore Gas and Electric, the Blackstone Charitable Foundation, the Kevin Durant Charity Foundation, the Maguire Foundation, philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, the Strada Education Foundation and Truist Bank, and others.