The Forward Together Campaign for ONU
$112,708,796 RAISED
Forward Together Campaign Video
This was our moment to move Ohio Northern University forward. And thanks to your generosity, we did it. Together we secured a bright future for current and future Polar Bears, and we upheld the pillars of unity and community that have kept ONU strong for more than 150 years.
We shared a bold, compelling vision for ONU’s future, and our community responded. Our supporters understand the quality and outstanding return on investment of an ONU education. Thanks to their generosity, we will be able to help more students access that education and enrich the learning experience for all of our students.President Melissa J. Baumann, Ph.D.
We did it!
We exceeded our goal, ensuring student success today and in the future
We are proud to have achieved the largest fundraiser in ONU’s history. The Forward Together campaign was all for students, all for faculty, all for facilities, and all for the next generation of scholars who will call ONU home.
Here’s how we exceeded our campaign aspirations:
- Student Scholarships - $52.1 Million (Exceeded goal by $2.1 Million)
- Teaching and Learning Excellence - $34.5 Million (Exceeded goal by $4.5 Million)
- Northern Fund - $17.9 Million (Exceeded Goal by $2.9 Million)
- Facilities for the Future - $8.4 Million (Exceeded goal by $3.4 Million)
Goal: $100 Million
112%
Raised: $112 Million
We are deeply humbled by the generosity of our alumni and friends, and by the sheer number of people who supported this campaign. We are also gratified by the ONU faculty and staff who enthusiastically got behind the Forward Together campaign. Their contributions and vision for what ONU can achieve in the future is what propelled the campaign to success.Shannon Spencer, Vice President for Advancement and Kelly Lawrie, Ed.D., Assistant Vice President for Advancement, Campaign Manager
Campaign Duration
June 1, 2020-Oct. 13, 2023
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8000+ Donors
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213 Scholarships
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57,000+ Gifts
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1904 1st time donors
CAMPAIGN STORIES
English alumnus plans faculty and student endowments with gift
Daniel White, BA ’80, established a planned gift as a part of the Ohio Northern University Forward Together campaign to support ONU’s…
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Kavish and Amanda Choudhary “pay it forward” by establishing a pharmacy scholarship fund
Kavish J. Choudhary, PharmD ’04, is grateful for the many individuals—from faculty mentors to scholarship donors—who supported his…
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Record-breaking Ohio Northern University fundraising campaign supports student success
A record-breaking fundraising campaign at Ohio Northern University will increase scholarships and financial aid for students, help the…
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Trustee gives back to ONU in honor of family’s generations of students
Mark White, BSBA ’85, experienced a turbulent time as a teenager and early in his college life, having lost both of his parents by his…
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Ron Woofter supports ONU students with a charitable gift annuity
In the six decades since he graduated, Ronald “Ron” Woofter, BA ’61, has watched Ohio Northern University’s campus expand and…
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Scott and Rhonda Miller give to ONU’s Institute for Civics and Public Policy to increase civic engagement efforts
A significant financial gift to Ohio Northern University’s Institute for Civics and Public Policy (ICAPP), a student-led civic…
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Endowed scholarship established in memory of engineering alumnus Philip Brooks
An Ohio Northern University legacy family has created a scholarship fund for students to help them pursue their career dreams. The…
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James and Janet Pry establish a scholarship to attract top students to ONU Law
James “Jim” Pry, II, JD ’70, and his wife, Janet, are determined to leave the world a little better than they found it. This…
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Retired U.S. Navy Captain creates fund to support ONU students who seek international experiences
During a 30-year career in the U.S. Navy, Captain Barbara Bowyer, BA ’76, blazed trails for women in the military and fulfilled…
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Kucklicks exhibit unwavering support for ONU’s educational experience
From their student days more than 50 years ago until today, Frederick “Fritz” Kucklick, BSME ’69 and Chris (Murdock)…
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Service-centered life results in pharmacy scholarship establishment
David Bobb, BSPh ’77, cultivated a career based on his passion for service. Now, to better serve the students at his alma mater, he…
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Hamilton comes full circle after a lifetime in higher education
Dr. Wayne Hamilton, BSCE ’58, knows the value of supporting higher education, because higher education has been his life’s work. His…
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Every single person who contributed to the campaign—whether that contribution was large or small—made an impact that will reverberate for generations. They’ve secured a brighter future for so many young people.Hanley Wheeler, BSPh ’82, Forward Together Campaign Chairperson
Campaign steering committee members:
Barbara Bowyer, BA ’76
Pam Hershberger, BSBA ’87
Doug Leuthold, BSCE ’76
R. Scott Miller, BA ’77
Rhonda Miller, BSPh ’80
Bill Robinson, BSED ’61, Hon.D. ’05
Dan Walker, BSCE ’71, Hon.D. ’19
Eileen Walker, BA ’72
Hanley Wheeler*, BSPh ’82
*Campaign Chairperson
For more information about the impact of the Forward Together Campaign and what's next for ONU, contact:
Office of University Advancementadvancement@onu.edu | 419-772-2035
onu.edu/give