Campaign Update

The signs of momentum are everywhere.

From the record-setting generosity of donors to the evidence of growth across campus, the Higher Ground campaign only seems to be picking up steam, even as the university approaches its $250 million goal.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the generosity of our donors, and we look forward to building on the momentum we’ve established over the last year,” said Dan Macaluso, vice president for advancement.

Beginning with the reopening of Moody Coliseum following its $50 million renovation in August 2022, the past year was marked by major building projects made possible through Higher Ground:

• Boone Family Theatre reopened last fall and will host the first on-campus Homecoming Musical in more than 50 years this October.

• The College of Business Administration (COBA) recently completed the fourth and final major phase of its Mabee Business Building renovation (read more on pages 12-13).

• Wessel Hall welcomed its first residents this semester as the next phase of the Freshman Village project.

• And on-campus research took a major step forward with the Gayle and Max Dillard Science and Engineering Research Center.

Although ACU isn’t through with building projects and renovations, the next phase of the campaign will be marked by a significant focus on academics.

This phase was kickstarted in December with a $29 million gift from the estate of Bill and Janie Dukes, the largest single academic gift in university history. The gift will establish the Dukes School of Finance within COBA and support scholarships and endowed faculty positions.

Macaluso said this summer’s academic reorganization, which increased the number of colleges from four to five, will also create new opportunities for growth and investment in the classroom and beyond through experiential learning.

With Higher Ground slated to run into 2024, Macaluso said the university would continue to pursue the campaign priorities, even with $263.2 million raised through late July.

“We plan to keep pushing ahead to see where God leads us next,” he said. 

In July, near the printing deadline for this issue of ACU Today, the university announced a $25 million gift from Kay Onstead, the fifth-largest single gift in university history.

To honor the Onstead family’s history of advancing excellence in Christian higher education, Abilene Christian will name one of its newest colleges in their honor – the Robert and Kay Onstead College of Science and Engineering, the first named college in ACU’s history.

Look for in-depth coverage of this historic gift in our next issue.