This past fiscal year Brandeis received $90.4 million in cash gifts, including more than $25 million from alumni and $72.8 million in new pledges, making this the best fundraising year in the University's 60-year history. One-third of Brandeis' fundraising money comes from the board of trustees. Over half the members of this board are alumni, Nancy Winship, senior vice president for institutional advancement, said.

This year a $15 million gift by Donald Soffer '54 was the largest pledge to the University by an alumnus in its history. The gift was given to the Campaign for Brandeis Initiative to help fund the construction of the atrium in the new Carl J. Shapiro Science Center.

Soffer said it is important to donate money for education because this allows students to "do thing that are important and significant in the world."

"Education is extremely important, and it's the future of the country," he said.

Soffer stressed the importance of scholarships, especially for minority students, and Winship said the most important delegation of cash gifts is financial aid for students.

"The cost of private higher education is prohibitive for most families," University president Jehuda Reinharz wrote in an e-mail to the Justice. "Brandeis must raise more funds to remain need blind and continue to help the best students obtain a Brandeis education," he wrote.

Winship said the Campaign for Brandeis started in 2001 with a goal of $470 million, which was surpassed ahead of schedule. The University exceeded its new goal of $770 million this spring and now has a $1.22 billion goal to reach by 2013. The University has currently raised about $785 million toward this goal.

About $200 million has been spent on new buildings and facilities so far, she said, with further money going into the University's endowment for the future.

She said the focus of the Campaign is to provide scholarships and fellowships for students and money to construct the buildings, which are currently in progress. The money also supports professors with endowed chairs, student and faculty programs and research programs.

Donors can pledge a certain amount of money to be spent incrementally each year, Director of Development Communications David Nathan said. For example, a donor can pledge $100,000 over a five-year period and allow the University to spend $20,000 each year, he said.

Cash gifts become part of the University's operating budget and also helps with building maintenance, faculty salaries and athletics. Donors can determine how they want their gift to be spent, Winship said. Many people donate money to create a scholarship in their name or the name of a relative.

There is "nothing on campus that's not partially funded through the money we raised," Winship said.

Part of the total fundraising money goes toward a capital fund, which provides money for physical structures like the Shapiro Campus Center, which were totally paid for by fundraising money, Winship said.

She said that with the addition of the new Mandel Center for the Humanities, a $22.5 million pledge from the Mandel Foundation, as well as other landscaping projects, the University will be more beautiful.

Winship said that some projects are fully funded before construction begins, but the University still needs to raise gifts to pay for other projects, such as the new residence halls.

Winship said that she and Reinharz came to the school in 1994 and Brandeis raised $22 million that year. Ever since then alumni have given more money as Brandeis' reputation continues to improve.

"[Brandeis] is the youngest [university within a group of similar universities] and that means we have many fewer alumni to depend on for financial support," Reinharz wrote in an e-mail. He said that Brandeis' Jewish heritage and social justice mission have attracted "a very devoted group of donors and friends."

Robert Sillerman '69 donated a $10 million cash gift and 35 alumni donated between $1 million and $16.5 million this year.

She said the University works to inform alumni about "our incredible students" and that "we brag about the students all the time, how exceptional our students are.