Listen Here
By Pulse Staff
On Wednesday, Feb. 11, during a town hall meeting live-streamed on UFTV, University of Findlay President Dr. Katherine Fell announced the University had exceeded the $75 million goal for the “Together We Will” fund-raising campaign. The total so far is $82.7 million, nearly $8 million over the goal.
“This momentum in philanthropy has been building since the campaign began August 1, 2019, to shape the future of our university,” Fell said. “We’re proud to say that since then, 11,210 of our alumni and friends have come together to support the University and the next generations of Oilers.”
With a $75 million goal, the “Together We Will” campaign is the largest in UF’s history.
In early October 2025, the amount raised for the campaign was $73.9 million, 98.63% of the $75 million campaign goal. From October 14 to Feb. 11, the University raised another $8.7 million.
According to the UF Marketing and Communication team donors have given more than $17.7 million for scholarships and $20.6 million for campus operations. The Joseph and Judith Conda STEAM educational Center was added to the Mazza Museum in 2021 to provide learning opportunities in art, literacy, science, and technology. And some improvements to athletic facilities such as the lighting project at Armstrong sports complex and the addition of the Dick Strahm Champions Field on campus which is an artificial turf practice field.
UF says 36 percent of the donors for the campaign are UF alumni, 61 percent live in Ohio, and 20 percent live in Hancock County.
“During the past seven years, UF has continued to move forward boldly with new academic programs for today’s workplace, strong national rankings, inspiring faculty and staff members, championship athletics, and wonderful students,” Fell said. “We could not do it without you. You put the ‘independent’ in independent higher education for the University of Findlay.”
Fell’s first capital campaign, “Give Voice to Your Values,” began shortly after she arrived at Findlay in 2010, launching Sept. 30 of that year with a goal of $40 million. The University hit that goal two years ahead of schedule, so the Board of Trustees extended the campaign goal to $50 million to include funds for a new College of Business and Student Life building. According to a Fall 2015 Findlay Magazine campaign review, that first campaign raised $52.6 million by fall 2015.
That brings the total funds raised between the two campaigns under Fell’s tenure at UF to $135.3 million.
On Oct. 17, 2025, Dr. Katherine Fell announced her retirement at the end of the 2025-26 academic year. The “Together We Will” campaign runs through the end of her time at UF, July 31, 2006.
Ken McIntyre, vice president for university advancement, announced the next six months will be a time to expand the current goals.
“We will be concentrating on three critical areas where we can still have deep and wide impact on the university campus. One is our Findlay fund. The other is endowed and unrestricted scholarships, and the third facility and lab renovations,” McIntyre said. “Every student benefits from Findlay Fund giving every day, everywhere they go.”
“In her final year as president, Dr. Fell has invited us all to join in achieving an additional $1 million in support of the Findlay Fund by July 31st of 2026.”
“Let me be very clear,” Fell said. “We’re not stopping. So, this is not over.”
