Forging what’s next

ASU President Michael M. Crow is optimistic about the future.

ASU Foundation
3 min readJan 20, 2021

--

I am optimistic about the future and confident that Arizona State University will lead the way in making higher education more relevant, flexible and accessible to learners of all ages.

A big reason for my optimism is the growing body of engaged supporters who commit financial resources to advance ASU’s mission. In the past decade, 353,650 alumni and ASU supporters around the world contributed to Campaign ASU 2020, a fundraising effort that raised more than $2.3 billion for ASU students, faculty, community programs and research. That’s an extraordinary accomplishment.

Because of generosity to ASU, student accessibility and excellence have never been higher; support for minority and low- and moderate-income students has never been greater. ASU’s faculty is better equipped to create new knowledge across disciplines and without barriers. And ASU’s talents and resources are contributing to the health of our communities and are a force for social progress and economic growth. A few examples of generosity that fuel my optimism:

• Thanks to a $12 million gift of insect specimens, ASU is a leading center for understanding weevils, an insect group that is inspiring new materials exploration through biomimicry.

• A compact version of one of the most powerful X-rays in the world, being developed at ASU’s Biodesign Institute, will allow researchers to peer into the atom and see molecules in action. This technology will enable new medicines and modes of clean energy. A $10 million gift enabled a world-class lab for the technology.

• More than $256 million in new scholarship support has been disbursed to students across the university.

Campaign ASU 2020 has served as a springboard, positioning ASU to advance its reputation as the most innovative university in the country. As we look to a future full of promise, your partnership and support will continue to be as vital as ever.

This story originally appeared in the winter 2021 issue of ASU Thrive magazine.

Learn more about how philanthropic investment is creating opportunity through ASU in the new issue of #ASUThrive and on the ASU Foundation Campaign ASU 2020 celebration website.

asufoundation.org/campaignASU

About ASU Foundation

The foundation, a subsidiary of ASU Enterprise Partners, is a private, nonprofit organization that raises and invests private contributions to Arizona State University. It is one of Arizona’s oldest nonprofits.

Connect with ASU Foundation:

Visit the website.
Like on Facebook.
Follow on Twitter and Instagram.
Connect on LinkedIn.
Subscribe on YouTube.

Read more stories of generosity at ASU in Impact magazine.

Love to hear news like this? Subscribe to the ASU Foundation newsletter.

--

--

ASU Foundation

ASU Foundation, one of Arizona’s oldest nonprofits, raises and invests private contributions to Arizona State University. https://www.asufoundation.org/