VISION: UNIVERSITY'S CAPITAL DRIVE EXCEEDS GOAL

The first major capital campaign in Southeast Missouri State University's history raised more than $28.5 million, exceeding its goal by 14 percent.

The five-year "New Vision of Excellence" campaign officially ended June 30. University and capital campaign officials disclosed the dollar figures at a press conference late Thursday afternoon at the university's alumni center.

"This is a very, very special day in the history of Southeast Missouri State University," said Don Ford, the institution's director of university development.

The capital campaign raised $28,568,394 in gifts, donations and pledges, well above the $25 million goal that had been set.

Kala Stroup, Southeast's president, said of the campaign, "That's the kind of news that the university president loves to hear."

Stroup said the success of the campaign showed the "generosity and commitment" of Southeast's friends and alumni.

Cape Girardeau banker Jim Limbaugh, who chaired the campaign drive, described the fund-raising effort as "an outstanding feat."

Limbaugh said the campaign exceeded not only the overall goal, but also the goals for six of the 12 funding areas.

The biggest single category was scholarships. The campaign raised more than $7.45 million for scholarships, or 186 percent of the goal.

Another $4.42 million was raised for various university program improvements, well above the $3 million goal.

The campaign raised nearly $4 million for the University Fund, which reflects undesignated contributions.

Gifts, donations and pledges for the Bootheel Education Center at Malden totaled $3.58 million.

More than $2.46 million was raised to go toward eventual construction of Southeast's College of Business Administration building. Campus development projects will benefit to the tune of $1.27 million.

The university fell short of its goal in raising funds for: the athletic complex and Houck Stadium improvements, the nursing building, the National Public Radio station, faculty enrichment, equipment and Kent Library.

But Limbaugh said the campaign was "agonizingly close" to reaching the funding goals for the athletic complex and Houck Stadium improvements, and Kent Library.

As of June 30, more than $1.25 million had been raised for the athletic complex and Houck Stadium improvements. The goal was $1.6 million.

Contributions for Kent Library totaled more than $2.74 million, or 92 percent of the $3 million goal.

The campaign raised $500,519 for equipment, $434,711 for the nursing building, $316,667 for faculty enrichment and $118,633 for National Public Radio.

Of the total amount raised in the campaign, about $12 million came from gifts and pledges raised in a private phase of the campaign dating back to July 1987. The public phase was launched Sept. 29, 1990.

An eight-month telephone solici~tation effort raised more than $1.14 million.

Ford said Southeast received more than 13,500 individual gifts and pledges. More than 8,500 alumni contributed, as did 851 corporations and foundations.

Robert Foster, executive director of the Southeast Missouri University Foundation, said the campaign "goes far beyond dollars and cents."

He pointed out students are being aided by the scholarships. And he said, "The (business) building would not even be on the planning board were it not for these contributions."