Upland, IN, Oct. 9, 2024 – Reaching a major milestone in the largest fundraising campaign for a Christian school of its size, Taylor University, in Upland, Indiana, today announced it has raised $300 million toward the half billion dollars it will invest in both its expanding school and the small town it calls home.
Dr. Mike Falder, Taylor’s Vice President for Advancement, said that at the $300 million mark, the University has already surpassed the record raised by any of the 140+ member institutions in the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU).
It is also nearly twice the $175 million that Taylor set out to raise when it launched the quiet leadership phase of the Life to the Full campaign two years ago. After raising $275 million by April 2024 and identifying further needs of the University, Taylor set its target to $500 million.
The campaign is funding Taylor Thrives, a strategic plan that transforms academic and athletic facilities, expands the school’s graduate programming, and invests in its academic offerings, including nursing, entrepreneurship, data and computing sciences, and leadership. The campaign also includes the largest scholarship effort among private colleges in the state of Indiana.
A key element of the strategic plan is taking place beyond its campus boundaries. In August, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb joined community and academic leaders for a groundbreaking and two ribbon-cuttings to launch the largest series of revitalization projects in Upland. The groundbreaking was for a pivotal mile-long pathway that will link downtown Upland businesses with Taylor’s campus. And the revamped corridor is only the beginning. Funded by $100 million in public, private, and philanthropic investments (including a $30 million Lilly Endowment grant), the town of just 750 households will be a hub of new development over the next five years. Upcoming projects include a boutique collegiate hotel, retail and office space, a destination restaurant, and multiple units of new housing.
For Taylor, the effort also embodies the biblical mandate for the faithful to “seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you” (Jeremiah 29:7).
Reflecting on the $300 million milestone, Falder noted that the campaign has been notable for both the depth of its large gifts and the breadth of its small ones. Since its launch in 2022, there have been 52 gifts of seven and eight figures, including a $10 million gift to name the Cornwall School of Business and Leadership, a $20 million gift for scholarships, and a $40 million gift for academic initiatives. At the same time, more than 85% of gifts have been under $1,000.
“The generosity of our alumni, parents, and friends has been overwhelming,” said Taylor President Michael Lindsay. “We look forward to raising the full $500 million to make the vision of Taylor Thrives a reality. I am so grateful for every single gift and feel blessed that so many have come alongside Taylor during this pivotal moment in Christian higher education.”
About Taylor University
For over 178 years, Taylor University has combined rigorous academics with the Christian faith and remains the oldest nondenominational school in the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU). For nearly three decades, Taylor has been ranked a top Midwest College by U.S. News & World Report. The University’s graduation rate is the fourth highest nationally among peer institutions, and 99 percent of Taylor’s graduates were employed or in graduate school within six months of graduation. With a strong legacy of service and global opportunities, Taylor also ranks nationally for study abroad internships and travel opportunities.
