Bright Minds, Bold Hearts campaign raises more than $100 million for Loyola

Loyola University Maryland’s Bright Minds, Bold Hearts campaign has surpassed its $100 million goal—and made history to close the University's largest campaign.

“We owe a great deal of gratitude to the faculty, alumni, staff, administrators, and everyone who contributed and helped create an environment where people want to give back,” said Terrence Sawyer, J.D., senior vice president. “Every member of the Loyola community has helped shape Loyola’s future.”

The campaign, which launched publicly in December 2013, is the largest campaign in Loyola’s history. The campaign added $54 million to the University’s endowment, created 115 new scholarships, and increased the funding of 55 existing scholarships. The money also enhanced athletic facilities, supported the mission and ministry of the University, invested in the local community, and strengthened academic programs including Peace and Justice studies, global studies, and the first-year program Messina.

“One person doesn’t bring a campaign from zero to $100 million,” said Rev. Brian Linnane, S.J., Loyola’s president. “Many people of both great means and smaller means have given willingly and enthusiastically because of their commitment to and belief in Loyola. They gave not just out of gratitude or affection, but also because they want to contribute to advancing the priorities of Loyola. They know the world needs Loyola University Maryland graduates. They believe in the future of our Jesuit, Catholic liberal arts university in Baltimore.”

Two significant gifts came in this month to close the campaign. The Maguire Foundation has given Loyola a $1.25 million challenge gift to endow the Maguire Scholars Program at Loyola. Members of Loyola’s Board of Trustees are stepping forward to meet that challenge, with $1 million given already by Trustees Ken Boehl, ’76, MBA ’81, David Ferguson, ’77, Jim Latchford, ’65, MBA ’74, and Gerry Holthaus, ’71. Numerous students will benefit from these scholarships from the Maguire Foundation, which focuses on education, hunger, homelessness, and the arts in an effort to give back to the community.

At the same time, Dan,’99, and Kelly Rizzo,’98, have pledged a $2 million capital gift to the Center for Innovation and Collaborative Learning, the future renovation and expansion project planned for Beatty Hall. In gratitude to the Rizzos, Loyola will designate the Career Center, which reside in the new building, as “The Dan and Kelly Rizzo Career Center.”

“This campaign made the Loyola family stronger as we pulled together. We’ve got a group of people who are fired up to do whatever we need to do for our university—and for our community. Loyola stands with Baltimore, and we’ve proven that,” said Boehl, who served as chair of the Bright Minds, Bold Hearts campaign.