Kettering University’s Boldly Forward Capital Campaign has concluded after putting an unprecedented $155 million into university coffers. Supporting student scholarships, new and existing programs, faculty, and the construction of the extraordinary Learning Commons, Boldly Forward ushers in a new era in transformative education, according to Kettering President Dr. Robert K. McMahan.

“This campaign is a real testament to the University and how much people believe in it,”  he said, “from the volunteers on the campaign committee and hardworking University Advancement team to over 6,200 generous and committed donors. What it has already made possible has been a game-changer.” 

Central to the Campaign and to the future of Kettering is the 105,000-square-foot state-of-the-art Learning Commons, the physical embodiment of the University’s unique vision of cooperative and collaborative education. Scheduled to open this summer, the Learning Commons’ open and flexible floor plan represents a new paradigm in how space is used in academic settings and provides a new model for the way education is delivered.

The other changes and innovations made possible by Boldly Forward have been equally transformative:

• Doubling the number of endowed and expendable scholarships

• Increasing the University endowment from $63 million to more than $110 million

• Adding other important facilities, including the GM Mobility Research Center, the Harris Mobility Research Annex and the FIRST Robotics Community Center

• Renovating Atwood Stadium for high-profile university and community events

• Endowing precollege programs, such as Academically Interested Minds (AIM) and Lives Improve Through Engineering and Science (LITES), for high school students interested in STEM fields

Kettering University is the only major college program in the country putting equal emphasis on real-world work experience and study, with all students graduating with 2 1/2 years of work experience. According to Payscale.com, the formula has Kettering ranked No. 1 in Michigan for salary potential of its graduates. It is also ranked No. 13 among all undergraduate engineering programs in the country, according to U.S. News & World Report. 

“Our graduates enter the workforce in mid-career with years of experience, not as entry-level employees,” McMahan said. “The fruits of the Boldly Forward Campaign, the innovation of the Learning Commons, and the burgeoning opportunities on and off campus will increase the learning potential and opportunities we can offer our students.”  

For more information about the Boldly Forward Capital Campaign and its impacts, visit www.kettering.edu/boldly-forward.