Xavier embarks on record $500M fundraising campaign

Xavier University has launched a $500 million fundraising campaign and a new scholarship program aimed at making its education more affordable as the private Jesuit university faces declining enrollment.

The “For One. For All. Forever.” campaign, unveiled Sept. 25 at a campus gathering of university leaders, alumni, and community members, would nearly double Xavier’s previous record of $257 million, set in 2021.

“Few institutions could aspire to raise half a billion dollars in a single campaign – but that is exactly what the power of the Xavier Family emboldens us to do,” said President Colleen Hanycz, the school’s 35th president and the first layperson and first woman to hold the job since the university’s 1831 founding.

“As Xavier approaches its third century of educating the whole student, we are receiving unprecedented philanthropic support that will ensure a pathway for generations of students to experience the transformative impact of this Jesuit Catholic institution.”

Campaign priorities and scholarships

The campaign divides the funds into four main areas: $240 million for major capital projects, including the proposed College of Osteopathic Medicine and a new interdisciplinary sciences facility; $120 million to grow the university’s $269 million endowment; $100 million for the Xavier Fund, providing unrestricted resources; and $40 million for Xavier Athletics, which Hanycz described as the “cornerstone” of the university.

As part of the celebration, Xavier officials also outlined the newly created Musketeer Forever Scholars program. Students in the Greater Cincinnati area and across Ohio with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher will receive guaranteed admission and at least a $30,000 annual scholarship, bringing the cost of attending Xavier closer to in-state tuition at public universities.

Tuition alone at Xavier this school year exceeds $52,000; with the scholarship, the cost drops to roughly $22,000. By comparison, the University of Cincinnati charges about $15,000 for in-state students. Funding to supplement those tuition costs comes from Xavier alumni and donors.

“This program is about creating opportunity for students who have worked hard and shown dedication to their academics,” said Scott Clyde, Xavier’s vice president for strategic enrollment management. “The invitation to be a Musketeer Forever Scholar opens doors for this generation to experience the full value of a Xavier education.”

Tackling enrollment challenges through academic innovation

The campaign comes as Xavier’s enrollment continues to decline. WVXU reported 673 freshmen enrolled this fall, leaving the university with fewer than 5,000 students across undergraduate and graduate programs. Total enrollment has fallen sharply since 2011, when the university had 6,945 students.

“It’s not surprising that colleges and universities face many challenges right now,” said Doug Ruschman, Xavier’s associate vice president for marketing and communications. “Questions about funding, realities about the enrollment ‘cliff,’ and national media questioning the value of a college degree.”

To address those challenges, the university is taking “bold steps now,” Ruschman said, to “secure its future” by investing in academics. That includes introducing 13 new undergraduate programs and three graduate degrees this fall, as well as advancing the proposed College of Osteopathic Medicine.

As of June, Xavier’s plan to open a medical school cleared a major hurdle when it advanced to Candidate Status, the second step in the national accreditation process. The designation keeps Xavier on pace to welcome its first class of medical students in fall 2027, making it the world’s first Jesuit osteopathic medical school. The first graduating class is expected to coincide with Xavier’s bicentennial in 2031.

The funding to complete the construction of the 130,000-square-foot med school is a major component of the capital campaign. 

Even though the fundraising is just starting, the moves are already receiving recognition. Xavier recently appeared on U.S. News & World Report’s annual list of Most Innovative Universities for the first time.

“Today, we recommit to ensuring that a Xavier education continues to offer a remarkable return on investment for Ohio families, as it has for almost 200 years,” Hanycz said.

For One. For All. Forever.