Bucknell Launches $1 Billion Fundraising Campaign
The Be the 'ray campaign has already secured $518 million in donor support toward its goal.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Philanthropy
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Bucknell University publicly launched a $1 billion fundraising campaign on Monday, having already secured $518 million in donor support. The multiyear effort surpasses the record raised in the university's previous WE DO campaign.
Why it matters
The campaign targets financial aid, faculty support and interdisciplinary academic programs, with stated goals of eliminating loans for families earning under $150,000 and meeting 100% of demonstrated need for admitted students. Pennsylvania families weighing private college costs may see the campaign's aid commitments as a factor in their decisions.
Bucknell has secured $518 million of its $1 billion goal, a total that exceeds its previous WE DO campaign record. The extraction does not state how much the prior campaign raised or when the new campaign ends.
The players
Bucknell University
A private liberal arts university in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, known for its engineering and undergraduate programs.
Annie Drapeau
Chair of the Bucknell Board of Trustees, overseeing the university's governance and strategic direction.
Scott Perricelli
Chair of the Be the 'ray Campaign and vice chair of the Board of Trustees, leading the fundraising effort.
The details
The Be the 'ray campaign is organized around five commitments covering faculty and staff support, leadership and advising, student-athletes, career advancement and alumni networks, and student financial aid. Early investments include new interdisciplinary academic centers uniting programs across all three colleges around entrepreneurship, data science and responsible citizenship, plus new endowments supporting faculty lines, student research, high-demand majors and scholarships.
Timeline
Monday: Campaign announcement made public
2035: Target year for the board's goal of making Bucknell the institution other schools study
Market Landscape
The Be the 'ray campaign surpasses the record raised in Bucknell's previous WE DO campaign, marking a larger fundraising push than the university's last effort. The campaign's focus on financial aid and endowed faculty positions positions Bucknell among private institutions competing for students and donors on affordability and academic reputation.
Families considering Bucknell may find the campaign's stated aims of eliminating loans for households earning under $150,000 and meeting 100% of demonstrated need relevant to their college budgeting. These goals describe campaign targets rather than guaranteed changes to current aid packages.
The takeaway
Campaign totals of this scale signal how heavily private universities now rely on donor funding to expand financial aid and faculty positions. Readers tracking higher education costs can watch whether the $518 million already raised translates into the stated aid commitments over the coming years.
Further reading
Explore more Philanthropy coverage to see how universities and donors are shaping higher education funding.
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