By Nicole Gregory, contributing writer

Two years ago, Cal State Fullerton announced the comprehensive campaign called “It Takes A Titan.” Its goal of raising $250 million will end this year, and as of Feb. 14, the campaign is 99% funded, according to Carlos Leija, associate vice president for College and Program Development at CSUF and a graduate of the university.

Unlike capital campaigns, which are centered around raising money for a specific building project, a comprehensive campaign raises money for a variety of needs — supporting academic innovation, renovating campus infrastructures and enriching the community, for instance. Though the school is partially funded by the state and tuition, it’s not enough to make the difference CSUF President Fram Virjee envisions.

“I don’t call it donating, I call it investing,” Virjee said in a video when the campaign was publicly announced.

Setting priorities

This is the first-ever comprehensive campaign Cal State Fullerton has undertaken, and it has developed with years of planning and input from faculty, students, administrators and others inside and outside the community.

“Each college and unit developed a list of campaign priorities,” Leija said. “The initial university campaign goal was established after lengthy research and interviews with internal and external constituents.”

Some items on the wish lists were aspirational, but the process provided a platform for each college to identify their priorities, which was constructive, he said.

The initial goal was set at $175 million but was increased to $200 million when the campaign was publicly launched, in February 2020, Leija said. When Cal State Fullerton received a large, unrestricted gift (meaning it can be applied wherever it is needed most) of $40 million from MacKenzie Scott and Dan Jewett, the campaign goal did not decrease — but increased, at the request of Virjee.

The decision was made to use $11 million of that gift as a matching amount to raise more money. If a donor gave $50,000 for an endowment, that would be matched with $25,000 from the $11 million.

“The campaign has had so many different components,” Leija said.

Giving varies

Gifts to the campaign have ranged from outright major single contributions, pledges made over time and estate gifts such as the $10 million Begovich Car Collection, Leija said. This was a donation in 2020 of 14 European cars—including a 1969 Lamborghini Miura purchased in Italy—from Nicholas Begovich and his wife Lee. The collection was sold to the Audrain Automobile Museum.

“In addition, we have experienced a great showing of annual gifts as demonstrated by our annual #TitansGive day of giving which in 2021 raised over $463,000 from 1,405 donors,” Leija said.

The 2022 #TitansGive takes place on March 9.

Comprehensive university campaigns typically span an average of eight years, from leadership phase to completion, but the “It Takes A Titan” campaign will be completed in December 2022—in just seven years, Leija explained.

“You set your goal, then you start raising money to get a certain percentage before you announce it publicly to the community,” he said. This strategy has an important purpose: to build energy and excitement among lead donors and supporters, he said.

“You want to make it successful, so in the planning, a lot of work is done to make sure the goal is attainable,” Leija said. “We hit the right number — our president is awesome and very bold.”

Broader impact

The “It Takes A Titan” campaign has influence in another way: It has raised the profile of Cal State Fullerton to the wider community. “That’s one of the things we have to consider— the comprehensive campaign messaging is out there on a broader scale,” Leija said.

“We are communicating the impact of Cal State Fullerton on our world,” he explained. “We’re not that sleepy little commuter campus from the 1980s anymore. We are a transformative university. Investments in Cal State Fullerton have helped us grow to be No. 1 in California for awarding degrees to women, No. 3 in the nation for social mobility, and No. 3 in the nation for degrees awarded to underrepresented students.”

The “It Takes A Titan” campaign will advance the success of its students and the impact on the surrounding community, Leija said.

“Supporters of Cal State Fullerton aren’t just making a gift, they are truly making an investment in the future of our county, state, nation, and beyond. With 47% of our students being the first person in their family to graduate college, there is a true generational ripple effect that is created with each degree that is awarded upon our graduates.”

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