Three years ago, President Barbara R. Snyder announced the public phase of Forward Thinking, a $1 billion comprehensive campaign for Case Western Reserve University. The goal was ambitious, especially in difficult economic times. But the need for a campaign was real. It had been many years since we had engaged in such a fundraising effort, and we knew that we could not fulfill our aspirations as a leading research university without new resources.

This August, at the opening of the Tinkham Veale University Center, President Snyder took the stage to celebrate our success. Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of Case Western Reserve’s supporters, the university had attained its goal two-and-a-half years ahead of schedule, with gifts and pledges from almost 43,000 individuals and organizations.

I want to express my profound gratitude to the many alumni and friends who have given their support to the College of Arts and Sciences during the campaign. We set out to raise $170 million for the college; like the university overall, we reached our goal ahead of schedule. And several of the commitments our donors have made will be truly transformative. For example, a $20 million endowment from an anonymous benefactor will fund strategic investments in our natural sciences programs. The Nancy and Joseph Keithley Institute for Art History, founded with a $15 million gift, will elevate the profile of our outstanding program in art history and strengthen our longtime collaboration with the Cleveland Museum of Art.

The Milton and Tamar Maltz Performing Arts Center at The Temple Tifereth – Israel, our signature capital project, promises to shine a spotlight on our programs in dance, music and theater. A leadership gift from the Maltz Family Foundation of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland has been followed by many significant commitments. Most recently, Char Fowler and Roe Green made a joint pledge of $4 million to name the studio theater. All of us working to bring this project to fruition are deeply grateful.

Yet these remarkable gifts are not the entire story of the campaign so far. Contributions of all sizes have been an important part of our success. For example, I am proud to count students among our supporters—seniors making a class gift, wonderful young artists performing during Homecoming to raise funds for the Maltz Center $1, $5 or $20 at a time.

I have spoken of the campaign “so far.” Recognizing that the university still has many unmet needs, Case Western Reserve is continuing Forward Thinking with a revised goal of $1.5 billion. For its part, the college has revised its goal to $300 million.

This new phase of the campaign, like the first, will emphasize three areas: scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students, support for faculty research and recruitment, and additional capital projects, including construction of a new building for our burgeoning science programs and renovations in the historic but outdated Mather Quad.

Please know that every gift to the college makes a difference in helping us enhance our excellence in research and education. With your support, we will continue building on our achievements, advancing knowledge and contributing to society in new and profound ways.

Cyrus C. Taylor

Dean and Albert A. Michelson Professor in Physics