Campaign Update

When UW leadership first approached me about chairing Campaign UW, I was hesitant about the endeavor. It took a while to get used to the idea of a $2 billion goal and the long time commitment. As I thought about it more, it became clear to me that there were few other things I could do with my time more important than helping to ensure the future of the University of Washington, an institution that is dear to my family and me.

Nearly eight years after Campaign UW first began, we have reached and surpassed our revised goal of $2.5 billion, nearly fi ve months ahead of the end of the campaign, and we continue to make great progress. This is a historic moment for the UW made possible by your generosity. I am so proud of this achievement, yet this is not the time for complacency. Campaign UW is coming to a close, but there are still many students in need of scholarship support, scientific discoveries yet to be made, top faculty to be recruited and programmatic momentum to maintain. Frankly, these are efforts that never cease.

Please accept my profound gratitude and appreciation for all that you have done to make Campaign UW so successful. We were only able to reach the campaign goal because of the enthusiasm so many alumni and friends have for the UW and its mission. What I truly hope is that those relationships will last over a lifetime, as mine has with the UW, and that Campaign UW will represent a starting point in a deeper connection to the UW.

Thank you.

William H. Gates ('49, '50)
Chair, Campaign UW: Creating Futures

Return to Spring 2008 Campaign Newsletter