The Rebuild My Church Capital Campaign, the largest fundraising campaign in the 75-year history of Franciscan University of Steubenville, surpassed its initial $75 million goal on May 13, 2022, just six short months after the kick-off of the campaign’s public phase.

Franciscan University President Father Dave Pivonka, TOR, made the surprise announcement at the end of Franciscan’s Commencement Exercises on May 14.

“I am very pleased to announce that yesterday, the feast of Our Lady of Fatima, we reached our goal of $75 million,” Father Pivonka said.

The news received sustained applause from the trustees, faculty, staff, graduates, parents, and friends gathered in Finnegan Fieldhouse for the Science Commencement and Arts Commencement ceremonies.

Noting that many members of the audience were “the reason we made that goal,” Father Pivonka told graduates, “By the generosity of your friends, family, relatives, we’ve been able to reach the goal of $75 million that allows us new academic programming, new scholarships, new institutes, and ultimately, a new academic building and conference center.”

The Rebuild My Church Campaign’s overarching goals include enhancing and expanding academics, increasing financial aid and scholarships, and expanding evangelistic outreach and revitalizing parishes.

Although Franciscan has met its initial $75 million goal, the campaign will continue, Father Pivonka said.

“I think the Lord has more for us. He has more that he wants to do and more ways he wants to bless us. So, we want to thank you so much and thank the Lord for his faithfulness in our campaign and continue to ask the Lord that we as a university would be able to build well,” he concluded.

Alumnus David DeWolf ’99, vice chairman of the Board of Trustees, said, “The fact that we have reached our goal so quickly demonstrates that the world sees a great need for well-formed leaders—the next generation of whom this campaign will support through scholarships, academic programs, and facilities.”

DeWolf added, “I hope this early success inspires more friends to join us in educating, evangelizing, and sending forth joyful disciples. It’s a mission worth supporting.”

Bob Hickey, vice president of Advancement at Franciscan University, said, “By God’s grace, we have raised over $72 million in cash and pledges and an additional $3 million in credentialed planned gift disclosures for a grand total of $75,023,000. Gifts from more than 700 donors propelled us past our Phase One goal of $75 million in honor of our 75th anniversary as a university.”

Hickey attributed the milestone to Father Pivonka’s leadership, the support of the Board of Trustees, the energetic assistance of campaign chairman Paul Michael “Mickey” Pohl, the faculty and staff whose good work has lifted up the University’s reputation, and most of all, Franciscan’s “wonderful” benefactors.

“It is so humbling and moving for me to hear our donors’ Franciscan stories and why they support our students and our Franciscan University mission,” Hickey said. “It’s always a matter of the heart as well as the mind; it’s very personal for them.”

The campaign has raised $47 million toward the original $48 million goal for the construction of the 110,000-square-foot Christ the Teacher Academic Hall and Conference Center. Home to the Departments of Business, Engineering, and Nursing, Christ the Teacher will also provide gathering space for up to 500 and a Welcome Center for Admissions visitors.

“Site preparation for the new building is already underway with a formal groundbreaking scheduled for October,” said Hickey. “So, with Phase One of our Rebuild My Church Capital Campaign completed, we will be pushing on to Phase Two, $10 million, which will cover increased costs for Christ the Teacher Hall due to inflation, as well as other capital needs associated with campus infrastructure.”

To date, gifts to fund scholarships and financial aid totaled $21 million, $3 million over the goal for that need. The new funds are already making a difference for incoming students.

Generous benefactors from Western Pennsylvania, for example, have provided significant financial aid for students in the Greensburg, Altoona-Johnstown, Erie, and Pittsburgh dioceses who choose Franciscan University, and 94 students have received St. Pope John Paul II Scholarship offers for fall 2022.

One recipient, Aquinas Academy of Pittsburgh senior Patrick Veazey, wrote, “I really appreciated receiving the Pope JPII Scholarship, since it lifted a significant financial burden off my family’s shoulders. Because of this aid, I will be able to more easily attend Franciscan and will, therefore, be able to thrive physically, mentally, and (most importantly) spiritually.”

Other needs fully funded by the campaign include the Criminal Justice Program and the Leadership Institute and Entrepreneurship Program, both of which began in 2021 and have already attracted many interested students.

“It’s exciting to have over 40 students in Franciscan’s new Criminal Justice Program, which provides a firm foundation in the relationship of moral, ethical, natural law and Catholic tradition essential for a just society and criminal justice system,” said Dr. Charles Nemeth, director of the Center for Criminal Justice, Law, and Ethics. “In addition, campaign funds support our very active Center for Criminal Justice, Law, and Ethics, creation of a minor program in forensic accounting, and many special initiatives.”

Hickey feels confident that with God’s help, the $10 million needed for Phase Two will come together soon.

“As Father Dave said, ‘Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build’ (Ps. 127:1), so we look to the Lord for his continued guidance for this campaign and his blessings on our benefactors,” Hickey said. “Please pray that Franciscan University will follow his lead and build only according to his plans.”

Watch Father Dave Pivonka, TOR’s announcement and learn more about Franciscan University of Steubenville’s Rebuild My Church Campaign.