The University of Missouri-St. Louis’ “Gateway for Greatness” campaign surpassed its $100 million goal two years ahead of schedule.

The Gateway for Greatness was UM-St. Louis’ first comprehensive campaign, and the money brought in will go to a wide variety of improvements and initiatives. The campaign began quietly in 2005 and raised $49 million in its first three years. Mark Berlyn, Senior Director for University Campaigns, and Vice Chancellor Martin Leifeld were then brought in to guide the campaign and increase its organization.

“Mark [Berlyn] was trying to organize the campaign which hadn’t had any real structure,” Leifeld said, “and I was trying to focus on where there had been gift discussions already with donors that hadn’t been completed.”

With Berlyn and Leifeld’s help the campaign brought in nearly $54 million over the next two years, reaching the campaign’s goal two years early.

The flexibility that comes with a comprehensive campaign allowed those behind the “Gateway for Greatness” campaign to take a donor centric approach. Alumni and friends of the university were compelled to give more than they might have otherwise because Leifeld, Berlyn and others were able to find an initiative that would resonate with a specific donor and ensure that donor’s money would go there. The Karakas Family Foundation has a long history of support for Greek culture and heritage and their $1.6 million donation went to UM-St. Louis’ Center for International Studies and will be used to start a Greek studies program.

A portion of the money will also go to build a new home for St. Louis Public Radio in Grand Center, right next to the KETC public television headquarters. A move that Leifeld hopes will bring a “synergy” between the two media as well as internship and job opportunities for students with communication majors. The funds will also be used for a building to house the College of Business as well as full ride scholarships and corporate mentorship for local under-privileged high school students.

Big donations to the campaign came from both private individuals as well as large corporations. The Anheuser-Busch Foundation gave $2.5 million to go towards the College of Business building. Peter Schick, a 1974 graduate, and his wife Maria donated $1.75 million.

“What was truly the catalyst in terms of making a lot of this happen was the involvement of UMSL’s alumni,” Berlyn said, “particularly those who are positioned in influential spots.”

The future of the campaign will be announced September 16 at the Ritz-Carlton in downtown St. Louis. Leifeld, Berlin and the rest of the campaign’s organizers are looking for ways to maintain and increase the rate of donations that have been enjoyed for the previous two years.

“Every gift is important, the support of every donor is important and valuable to the institution,” Leifeld said. “All gifts are welcome, and we’re grateful for every gift that comes in.”