Thanking Our Generous Alumni

Dear Emory alumni and friends of the university,

Summer is here and our campuses in Atlanta and Oxford are quiet, but as always, this apparent stillness is deceptive. Instead of classes, students are taking on impressive internships, gaining valuable work experience and traveling the globe through study abroad programs. Instead of teaching, our faculty are largely focused on their research, writing and creative projects. And many of our staff have already turned their attention to planning for the fall semester, developing strategic projects and programs for a new academic year.

In May, we hosted an amazing Commencement for the Class of 2024. Although it did not take place on the Quad, the weekend’s events still showcased the excitement and exuberance that Emory Commencement is known for, paying tribute to a resilient and talented class of students, many of whom had their high school graduations interrupted by the pandemic.

Since then, I have spent time meeting with Emory alumni and supporters in Atlanta and on both coasts. The 2O36 campaign is entering its final year and we have made impressive progress since the public launch in 2021. Thanks to Emory’s generous donors and benefactors, we are more than 91% of the way toward reaching the campaign goal of $4 billion. We are closing in on this record- shattering amount because of the vision of more than 115,000 Emory alumni, community members and friends who have stepped up to support all of our schools, departments, programs and initiatives in education, research and health care.

One of our major focuses has been establishing endowments to support student flourishing and faculty eminence at Emory. In the latter category, 90 endowed professorships have been created as part of the 2O36 campaign. To put this number in perspective, Emory’s last comprehensive campaign produced 40 such professorships. This dramatic growth in new faculty endowments will make it possible for Emory to retain and recruit world-class professors who will undertake innovative scholarship while mentoring and teaching our talented students.

If you are reading this, you have likely contributed to 2O36 in some form. I want to thank you for your philanthropy, for which I am very grateful.

The campaign concludes in August 2025, giving us one year to set a course for the future of Emory. During these final months, we are focused on achieving the fundraising goals set by every school and program, and that likely includes the Emory school or college that you graduated from! Now is the time to go above and beyond for Emory, and I urge you to get involved and find meaningful ways to contribute.

Thank you for all that you do for your university. I hope you have a wonderful summer and please come visit us on campus this fall.

Gregory L. Fenves 
President
Emory University