Further, Faster

Further, Faster

NKU’S NEW CAMPAIGN ALIGNS STUDENT SUCCESS WITH REGIONAL NEEDS.

// By Kelsey Bungenstock (’16)

There are countless stories about the decisions that led students to Northern Kentucky University, each as meaningful as the next, but the decision to become a Norse is just part of the journey—and what comes next is a significant challenge for too many students. We often take it for granted, but the ability to pursue an affordable, quality education, regardless of life circumstances, isn’t available to everyone who seeks it.

NKU wants to change that. And to support its mission of providing opportunities and resources not only to its students, but to the region at large, NKU has officially launched Further, Faster: The Campaign for NKU.

“We are fortunate to serve diverse learners from first-generation students and adult students to veterans. Some arrive straight out of high school, while others have spent years in jobs that barely pay the bills. They arrive on campus filled with optimism, even as they are grounded by the reality of a challenging road ahead,” says NKU President Ashish Vaidya. “It is up to us to provide them with an education and opportunities that will empower them to attain fulfilling lives. Your support will help make the road a little less bumpy, so that our students can achieve their educational goals.”

The university’s last campaign wrapped up in 2005. The current campaign has raised more than $49 million toward the $75 million goal and is aimed at supporting the university’s singular focus of aligning student success with the needs of the region while ensuring that anyone who has the ability has the opportunity to pursue an NKU education.

“Public-private partnerships, including corporate collaborations and donor-based funding initiatives, must be a major part of how public higher education sustains itself moving forward,” says Erica Bolenbaugh, interim senior director for Advancement Operations.

The campaign is mainly structured around NKU’s recently announced strategic framework, Success By Design, which establishes three pillars that will determine the university’s success as it moves forward:

• Access: Access funds go toward scholarships for students in a pointed effort to break down financial barriers to higher education. Whether a student is the first in the family to go to college or a working parent who might not have the means to pursue a degree otherwise, gifts toward this pillar assure students can achieve their dreams at NKU.

• Completion: For some, the challenge isn’t affording the first year of college—rather, it’s any of the numerous hardships, from emotional to financial, that can threaten a student’s path to graduation. Completion funds go toward advising programs and initiatives that support students as they complete their education.

• Career and Community Engagement: Student success doesn’t end on graduation day; it plays out in the ways graduates engage communities through their lives and careers. Engagement funds go toward resources that plan and support seamless transitions into the workforce and fulfilling lives. And because NKU is committed to remaining an asset to the region, engagement funds also support programs throughout Greater Cincinnati.

“The campaign asks groups and individuals to invest in our students and the future prosperity of our region by partnering with the university in its promise to maintain an affordable quality education for all learners, regardless of their journey to NKU,” says Bolenbaugh.

To learn more about Further, Faster: The Campaign for NKU, hear student testimonials and donate toward the university’s mission, visit nku.edu/ furtherfaster.

Support Further Faster, the Campaign for NKU by visiting nku.edu/furtherfaster.