Members of the OSU Community,
This week marks a historic milestone that underscores the remarkable momentum occurring within Oregon State University to advance OSU’s priorities.
Last night, we announced that an incredibly generous donor has made a $50 million anonymous gift to the OSU Foundation dedicated to plans to rebuild the west side of Reser Stadium and provide for year-round university facilities to benefit all students, faculty and staff. This effort will transform Reser Stadium into a national best-in-class football stadium and fan experience that supports Beaver football and athletics programs for all OSU student-athletes.
This $50 million gift equals the largest donation ever made to Oregon State University. In the last four years, the university has received a $50 million gift from alumnus Gary Carlson to name the Gary R. Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine and an anonymous $25 million gift to support construction of a $70 million Arts and Education Complex scheduled to begin construction this fall. In addition, an anonymous $10.5 million gift has been made to the Reser Stadium project along with other gifts toward an overall fundraising goal of $85 million.
The Reser Stadium project involves the complete demolition and rebuilding of the west side of the stadium and construction of a new state-of-the art interactive welcome center where undergraduate admissions staff will host prospective students considering attending OSU; new health center facilities for Corvallis campus students; health care facilities for OSU faculty and staff; and additional meeting space for university students, faculty and staff.
This $153 million overall project will be funded through philanthropy, premium seating revenue, space lease revenues and other revenues from the stadium and new facilities.
Supporting new university facilities and, in this case, our football program is about much more than the actual games themselves. It’s about supporting all of our students, including 350 talented students enrolled in virtually every major who may not have otherwise attended Oregon State University without an opportunity to be a part of our marching band and other bands. It’s about participating in robust and vibrant student life activities that engage students in living, learning and networking opportunities inside and outside of the classroom.
And it’s about opportunities for engagement with Oregon State alumni, donors and friends in support of student, faculty and staff success occurring in our libraries, classrooms, research labs and OSU Extension and Engagement programs across Oregon.
I am deeply appreciative of these donor investments and of each of you. Whether you are an OSU student, faculty or staff member; a donor, stakeholder, alum or partner; or a staff member of the OSU Foundation and Alumni Association, you contribute in many ways to the momentum that continues to advance Oregon State University in remarkable ways. Thank you.
Please join me in celebrating today’s wonderful news.
Sincerely,
F. King Alexander
President