A University of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy fundraising campaign recently raised $22.6 million to support students, faculty and programs, exceeding expectations.

When it began in January 2004, the People and Programs Campaign’s initial goal of $18 million aimed to raise money through private donations from organizations and individuals, said Andrew Wilcox, director of University of Wisconsin Foundation, the official fundraising organization for UW.

The six-year campaign was the largest fundraiser in the School of Pharmacy’s history and focused on “human infrastructure” rather than new buildings, said Diane Stojanovich, director of communications at the School of Pharmacy.

“The crux of the People and Programs Campaign was building the base for permanent support for students, faculty and staff within the School of Pharmacy,” she said.

Donations have provided the opportunity to add many new support funds to a variety of areas in the school, Stojanovich said.

The donations will create 34 new student scholarships to help meet the needs of students interested in pharmacy school by reducing student debt, Stojanovich said.

The school will also be allowed to establish five endowed chairs to set aside money for support of faculty. These chairs will help ensure an exceptional faculty and strengthen the school’s ability to award world-class educators, Stojanovich said.

She added funds will also extend support to graduate students as well as research initiatives and programs.

“This campaign was unique in that typically, a campaign of this size is about bricks and mortar and buildings,” Stojanovich said. “It is stunning to know that we exceeded the goals and that the legacy and benefactor is going to be student, staff and faculty in a permanent way.”

UW Foundation and the School of Pharmacy worked together to reach out to alumni and friends for support in building permanent endowments for the school, said Linda Halsey, director of development at UW Foundation.

“Folks realized they were really investing in the future of the school,” she said.

In the long term, the School of Pharmacy will continue to build a base of permanent support for students, faculty and programs, Halsey said.