UW-Stevens Point achieves historic $100 million target in “Discover Your Purpose” Comprehensive Campaign
By UWSP Staff | November 2026
The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and the UWSP Foundation are proud to announce the successful completion of Phase II of the “Discover Your Purpose” Campaign. In June 2025, the UWSP Foundation announced that it had secured $65 million towards the goal in the campaign’s silent phase. On October 30, 2026, they announced that the campaign had raised more than $100 million in philanthropic support to benefit students, programs, facilities, and communities served by the university.
The campaign marks the most comprehensive fundraising effort in UWSP history and reflects the extraordinary generosity of alumni, donors, faculty, staff, retirees, parents, friends, corporations, and foundations who share a commitment to the university’s mission and future.
“What began as a bold goal became a defining moment for UW-Stevens Point,” said Chancellor Robert Brinkmann. “The success of the Discover Your Purpose Campaign demonstrates the power of the Pointer community and its unwavering belief in our students. This investment will create opportunities for generations of students to discover their purpose, achieve their goals, and make meaningful contributions to the world.”
Throughout the campaign, donor support allowed for expansion of scholarships and emergency financial assistance, strengthened academic programs, enhanced experiential learning opportunities, invested in faculty innovation, and helped modernize learning environments across UWSP’s campuses.
Among the campaign’s most significant achievements, the UWSP Foundation:
• grew total assets under management to more than $125 million, up 46% since 2022;
• provided $2m+ in scholarships to UWSP students in 2026, a 120% increase in the past five years;
• provided over $5.5 million in program funds and scholarships in 2025, a 120% increase in the past four years;
• provided critical funding for the following capital projects such as: Sentry Hall (new home of the Sentry School of Business and Economics), Paul and Gale Kirby Library and Student Resource Center and Mary Reinhart Library, Loos Family and Eddie Kotal Turf Fields, Don and Judi Olson Natural History Museum, Frank and Kathie Haeni Chemistry and Biology Building, Rick Witt Track and Field Stadium, the College of Natural Resources Dean’s Suite and the Jim and Madeleine Haine Sentry Insurance School of Business and Economics Assistant Dean’s Suite; the Ruth E. Salzmann Center for Women’s Leadership, and the McPartland Family Foundation Future Leaders program; and
• endowed two professorships in Cello/Music Education and Advocacy and Black Bear research and the largest endowed scholarships in university history in the College of Natural Resources, College of Fine Arts and Communication, and first-year student awards.
“This campaign was never just about raising dollars from six- and seven-figure donors,” said William Broussard, Ph.D., Vice Chancellor of University Advancement and CEO of the UWSP Foundation. “In fact, throughout the campaign, our median gift continued to be $100. Everyone made a difference. This campaign is about transforming lives. Every gift represents an investment in student success and a belief in the power of education. The generosity of our donors will continue creating opportunities and changing lives for years to come.”
The Discover Your Purpose Campaign brings together thousands of supporters around a shared vision: ensuring that UW-Stevens Point remains a place where students can access an exceptional education, pursue their aspirations, and make a lasting impact in their communities.
University leaders emphasize that hitting its original goal is only beginning. The impact of what these gifts are and will continue to do is the true outcome, and that impact doesn’t have an end date.
“We are profoundly grateful to every donor, volunteer, advocate, and ambassador who made this achievement possible,” said Ray Ackerlund, ’97, President of Skyward, UWSP Foundation Board President and Honorary Campaign Chair. “Together, we have strengthened UWSP’s future and expanded what’s possible for our students, our university, and the communities we serve.”
About the Discover Your Purpose Campaign
The Discover Your Purpose Campaign is UW-Stevens Point’s comprehensive fundraising initiative, focused on increasing student access and affordability, advancing academic excellence, enhancing campus facilities, enriching the student experience, and deepening alumni and community engagement. Through the collective generosity of the Pointer community, the campaign has identified more than $100 million to support the continued success and future of UW-Stevens Point. The campaign includes all giving to the university from January 1, 2021 through December 1, 2028.
For more information, visit https://give.uwsp.edu/page/dypcampaign.
