Tennessee Tech moving into the public phase of the “It’s Personal” fundraising campaign, a $125 million initiative designed to prioritize student scholarships, campus facilities, and enhanced educational experiences.
Interim Vice President for University Advancement John Smith said the university has already secured more than $94 million in commitments since the quiet phase of the campaign began in July 2020. Smith said the public launch allows the university to engage alumni and donors across the country to reach the remaining 25 percent of the fundraising goal.
“It’s more than a dollar goal,” Smith said. “It’s how those dollars translate into helping everyday students either getting an education or the experience they have while they’re on campus.”
Smith said the campaign is organized into five distinct pillars that focus on specific areas of the student experience. Smith said the largest portion of the funding, totaling $35 million, is dedicated specifically to scholarships and emergency grants to address the primary obstacle students face when pursuing a degree.
“Research tells us that the number one roadblock for students who want to attend college is financial resources,” Smith said. “And we know that directly from a donor, scholarships can help alleviate that financial burden to a certain extent.”
Smith said the campaign also allocates $25 million for student experiences that take place outside of traditional classrooms. Smith said these funds support specialized facilities like the simulation labs at the Whitson-Hester School of Nursing and the Gary Durham foundry.
“Donors play a significant role in enhancing this part of the outside the classroom experience through their generosity to ensure the students have the necessary pieces of equipment, labs or structures that they need to be successful,” Smith said.
Smith said another $25 million priority is athletics, which serves as a visible gateway for the university and the surrounding community. Smith said recent projects include the opening of the new West Tucker Stadium and ongoing work on a baseball hitting facility, a tennis center, and a new track.
“Athletics is the definite front porch for the university,” Smith said. “We get a lot of publicity about Tennessee Tech through the success that we have in our athletic programs.”
Smith said the university is seeking participation from supporters at every level, including current students, to reach the final $125 million mark. Smith said the long-term impact of the campaign will be visible through named facilities like the Ashraf Islam Engineering Building and a more robust advancement team.
“The overwhelming statement I would love to leave with folks is this matters to our students and it matters to our community,” Smith said. “We want to find ways to enhance their educational experience and have them graduate with a degree in one hand and a lot of work experience in the other and to make them more marketable and great citizens for this state and this country.”