Campbell Leads campaign
ends with more than
$105 million in gifts

Ambitious five-year campaign raised funds for
student scholarships, campus-wide projects
and long-needed student union facility

February 2, 2022

The Campbell Leads campaign — the ambitious fundraising effort created to benefit student scholarships, the Fund for Campbell and the campus-transforming Oscar N. Harris Student Union — far exceeded its original $75 million goal by raising $105.7 million over a five-year period. 

Campbell Leads was among the first initiatives set forth by President J. Bradley Creed when he took office on July 1, 2015. Launched one year later, the campaign hit its original mark in November 2020, and the goal was extended to $100 million in 2021. More than 61,000 gifts were made from Campbell University alumni and friends — 25 gifts exceeded $1 million, and nearly 500 major gifts of $25,000 or more were made.

The final two-year stretch of the campaign was a success despite the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, said Creed. 

All 10 academic units benefited from the campaign through academic initiatives, enhancements in scholarships and innovative new facilities. Campbell Leads highlights include: 

• $44.6 million in endowed and direct aid scholarship funds to support Campbell students in perpetuity, ensuring they will have the opportunity to receive a Campbell education despite challenging financial circumstances. Over time, successful investment of endowment funds will increase the resources available to Campbell to provide scholarship support for generations to come. 
• $25 million toward the construction of the new Oscar N. Harris Student Union, which opened in 2020 and now serves as the centerpiece of Campbell’s main campus in Buies Creek. The 115,000-square-foot facility is home to a large-scale banquet hall, new campus dining options, offices and meeting areas for students and student-led groups, a 200-seat movie theater, a two-story fitness center and a new Campbell merchandise and gift shop. 
• $35 million toward other University projects, including the Fund for Campbell, community-based initiatives, research, and other capital gift to support Go Camels athletic teams, academic programs, residence life, performing arts, and other needs. 

Benjamin N. Thompson (’76, ’79 Law), chairman of the Campbell University Board of Trustees, said the board approved the campaign in 2016 with the goal of not only constructing a student union, but “substantially increasing” endowed and direct aid scholarships to benefit Campbell students. He said seeing the fruits of these decisions has been a rewarding experience. 

“The opening of the Oscar N. Harris Student Union has been one of the greatest highlights in all of my years at Campbell,” Thompson said. “Additionally, the increase in our scholarship resources is a much-needed boost to ensure a Campbell education is possible for our students.” 

One highlight of the campaign was the largest single gift in Campbell’s 135-year history — a $13 million donation from the estate of former Campbell President and First Lady Norman and Mildred Wiggins to create the Wiggins Arts & Sciences Endowed Scholarship, a gift that will benefit undergraduate students for years to come. 

“The Campbell Advancement team — our development officers, alumni officers and communications team — did a remarkable job sharing our message and engaging an incredibly supportive base of Campbell alumni, friends of the university, board members, employees, parents and students,” said Vice President for Advancement Britt Davis. “It was a total Campbell community effort to raise nearly $106 million in support over the past five years for university priorities, and for this we are grateful.”