The University of Alabama received more than $2.1 billion in charitable commitments during a 10-year fundraising campaign, the university announced Monday.
The Rising Tide 2.0 campaign was the largest higher education fundraising campaign in Alabama history, according to UA.
University officials said more than 196,000 donors made over 1 million gifts to support scholarships, faculty, academic programs and construction projects. More than 118,000 people donated to UA for the first time.
Nearly $425 million was committed to endowed scholarships, $94 million to faculty support and more than $1 billion to student programs and initiatives, according to UA.
The university said the campaign established 1,212 new scholarship endowments and 84 endowments supporting faculty.
UA President Peter Mohler said the donations will benefit students and faculty for years to come.
“Their generosity is opening doors for generations of students, strengthening the work of our faculty and expanding the spaces where discovery, creativity and leadership take shape,” Mohler said in a statement.
Since 2016, the amount of money awarded through endowed scholarships has increased by 37%, while the number of students receiving those scholarships has increased by 38%, according to the university.
“The number of students who will benefit from the philanthropy of our current benefactors over the generations to come can’t be counted,” UA vice president for advancement Bob Pierce said.
The campaign began in 2016 and was publicly announced in September 2021. UA initially set a fundraising goal of $1.5 billion, which it surpassed in 2024. It exceeded a revised goal of $1.8 billion in 2025.
University officials said more than $538 million was committed to campus construction and renovation projects, including over 800,000 square feet of new and renovated facilities.
Among the projects were Hewson Hall, an academic building for the Culverhouse College of Business, and renovations to Bryce Main that created a university welcome center and a performing arts center scheduled to open in 2027.
UA also highlighted two major gifts that resulted in new names for colleges.
UA alumnus Frank Barefield committed $35 million to establish the J. Frank Barefield Jr. College of Arts and Sciences. A $25 million commitment from Catherine Styslinger led to the naming of the Lee J. Styslinger Jr. College of Engineering.
The university reported 310 gifts of $1 million or more and nearly 594,000 gifts of $100 or less during the campaign.
UA said annual giving set records in four consecutive years, averaging at least $225 million each year during that period.