USF increases fundraising goal to $1 billion

TAMPA — University of South Florida donors and leaders donned gowns and tuxedos for a glittering gala Friday night at the Tampa Bay Times Forum. They were there to celebrate the more than $621 million brought in during the university's four-year Unstoppable fundraising campaign.

And they weren't done. University leaders announced that USF has entered phase two of the Unstoppable campaign. The USF Foundation's fundraising goal is now $1 billion.

"It is truly rare for a university, nationally, globally, to have a $1 billion campaign," said USF president Judy Genshaft.

The original Unstoppable campaign drew more than 140,000 donors and gave rise to new facilities, the Pam and Les Muma Basketball Center, the Corbett Soccer Stadium, the Gonzmart Family Plaza, the Chowdhari Golf Center and the Frank Morsani Football Practice Complex among them.

It raised $34 million for faculty chairs and professorships and $325 million for academic programs. More than $75 million went to scholarships, including $1 million from Genshaft and her husband Steven Greenbaum for students to study abroad. More than $170 million went to USF Health and almost $40 million went to USF athletics.