Forever Orange Campaign Engaged Alumni of Color at Record Levels
Syracuse University exceeds $1.5 billion goal.
Syracuse University wrapped up its historic Forever Orange campaign on December 31, 2024, surpassing its goal and raising an unprecedented $1.59 billion to advance academic excellence, expand access to talented students and transform University facilities and spaces.
“I am grateful to everyone who helped us reach and exceed the ambitious goals of the Forever Orange Campaign,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “The extraordinary generosity of so many is already having a profound impact—transforming our campus, driving academic excellence and providing life-changing opportunities for our students. The Forever Orange Campaign was a catalyst to convert big ideas into exciting realities. But none of it would have been possible without the passion, support and commitment of our Orange community.”
Launched five years ago, Forever Orange sought to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support from 125,000 donors and meaningfully engage 20% of alumni, goals that were all exceeded. Particularly impactful is the role Syracuse University’s Black and Latino alumni played in the success of the campaign.
Over the last 10 years, Black and Latino giving has increased tenfold, with a high of $6.3 million in gifts in 2023 up from $612,000 in 2014.
The Office of Multicultural Advancement set an initial campaign goal to double the $5 million endowment of the Our Time Has Come (OTHC) Scholarship Fund to $10 million. When that number was hit in 2022, the goal was raised to $15 million, and by the end of 2024, the OTHC endowment had reached $16 million.
“Now we have four percent of that $16 million we can use annually to issue scholarships to students with unmet need that don’t need to be repaid,” says Rachel Vassel ’91, G’21, associate vice president of multicultural advancement. “We’ve grown from 62 scholarships in 2019 at the campaign launch to 143 scholarships this year.”
Vassel says these benchmarks were met due to unprecedented numbers of Black and Latino alumni participating philanthropically. “Meaningful engagement among Black and Latino alumni is at 29.8%, exceeding the general alumni population which has a 20.5% meaningful engagement score. This is due to our efforts to drive engagement through targeted regional events as well as our on-campus CBT triennial reunions which have grown significantly during the campaign period.” CBT 2024 sold out last fall with 1,500 registrants and many others who returned to campus that weekend.
This kind of engagement resulted in the creation of the Multicultural Advancement Advisory Council in 2019, fundraising for the Barner-McDuffie House (which raised $1.6 million in naming gifts from Black alumni) and collective giving efforts among historically Black and Latino sororities, fraternities and other alumni organizations, which have funded 13 endowed scholarships.
Most notable was the $1.2 million raised by the Kappa Lambda chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. “Forty percent of those who gave were first time University donors,” says Vassel.
“Either those donors weren’t previously solicited, weren’t presented with a giving opportunity that sparked interest, or perhaps they were compelled to give collectively because they could give at any level to help create an endowed fund. Communities of color have always pooled resources to make a significant impact. Our group funds are an excellent example of that, and the Deltas have set the standard for all of our alumni groups.”
People give to support the things they care about, whether it’s their academic program, athletics, or supporting scholarships for students with an unmet financial need, says Vassel. “It’s important that we continue to develop the next generation of philanthropists of color by offering compelling giving opportunities and innovative ways to drive contributions,” she says. “It’s more important now than ever that we work together to support current students.”
For more about the Forever Orange campaign and its impact on the University, watch for the Spring 2025 issue of the Syracuse Manuscript magazine.
Syracuse University wrapped up its historic Forever Orange campaign on December 31, 2024, surpassing its goal and raising an unprecedented $1.59 billion to advance academic excellence, expand access to talented students and transform University facilities and spaces.
“I am grateful to everyone who helped us reach and exceed the ambitious goals of the Forever Orange Campaign,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “The extraordinary generosity of so many is already having a profound impact—transforming our campus, driving academic excellence and providing life-changing opportunities for our students. The Forever Orange Campaign was a catalyst to convert big ideas into exciting realities. But none of it would have been possible without the passion, support and commitment of our Orange community.”
Launched five years ago, Forever Orange sought to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support from 125,000 donors and meaningfully engage 20% of alumni, goals that were all exceeded. Particularly impactful is the role Syracuse University’s Black and Latino alumni played in the success of the campaign.
Over the last 10 years, Black and Latino giving has increased tenfold, with a high of $6.3 million in gifts in 2023 up from $612,000 in 2014.
The Office of Multicultural Advancement set an initial campaign goal to double the $5 million endowment of the Our Time Has Come (OTHC) Scholarship Fund to $10 million. When that number was hit in 2022, the goal was raised to $15 million, and by the end of 2024, the OTHC endowment had reached $16 million.
“Now we have four percent of that $16 million we can use annually to issue scholarships to students with unmet need that don’t need to be repaid,” says Rachel Vassel ’91, G’21, associate vice president of multicultural advancement. “We’ve grown from 62 scholarships in 2019 at the campaign launch to 143 scholarships this year.”
Vassel says these benchmarks were met due to unprecedented numbers of Black and Latino alumni participating philanthropically. “Meaningful engagement among Black and Latino alumni is at 29.8%, exceeding the general alumni population which has a 20.5% meaningful engagement score. This is due to our efforts to drive engagement through targeted regional events as well as our on-campus CBT triennial reunions which have grown significantly during the campaign period.” CBT 2024 sold out last fall with 1,500 registrants and many others who returned to campus that weekend.
This kind of engagement resulted in the creation of the Multicultural Advancement Advisory Council in 2019, fundraising for the Barner-McDuffie House (which raised $1.6 million in naming gifts from Black alumni) and collective giving efforts among historically Black and Latino sororities, fraternities and other alumni organizations, which have funded 13 endowed scholarships.
Most notable was the $1.2 million raised by the Kappa Lambda chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. “Forty percent of those who gave were first time University donors,” says Vassel.
“Either those donors weren’t previously solicited, weren’t presented with a giving opportunity that sparked interest, or perhaps they were compelled to give collectively because they could give at any level to help create an endowed fund. Communities of color have always pooled resources to make a significant impact. Our group funds are an excellent example of that, and the Deltas have set the standard for all of our alumni groups.”
People give to support the things they care about, whether it’s their academic program, athletics, or supporting scholarships for students with an unmet financial need, says Vassel. “It’s important that we continue to develop the next generation of philanthropists of color by offering compelling giving opportunities and innovative ways to drive contributions,” she says. “It’s more important now than ever that we work together to support current students.”
For more about the Forever Orange campaign and its impact on the University, watch for the Spring 2025 issue of the Syracuse Manuscript magazine.
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