Georgetown University must raise $170 million this year to successfully reach its fundraising goal of $1 billion, University President John J. DeGioia said in a meeting with student press on Sept. 6.
The Third Century Campaign to raise $1 billion began in 1995 and will end on June 30, 2003. The goals of the campaign are to increase the University’s endowment and annual fund, improve facilities and provide more flexible funding for programs.
The University hopes to set aside $338 million to add to the endowment, which currently stands at $626 million. Georgetown’s endowment lags significantly behind comparable universities by as much as $4 billion, DeGioia said.
Georgetown got a “late start” on fundraising, according to DeGioia. The University separated from the Jesuit order in 1969 and “became more like other schools” in terms of fundraising capacity, he said.
Funding for improvements in campus infrastructure is essential to Georgetown’s future, DeGioia said. Infrastructure changes include the recent renovation of St. Mary’s Hall, the completion of the Southwest Quadrangle next fall and planned projects such as the Performing Arts Center, a new science building, a new home for the McDonough School of Business and a new athletic field.
According to DeGioia, a University president has to focus on both immediate goals and long-term plans such as fundraising and campus infrastructure.
People often look to him to talk about the future of Georgetown and the University’s long-term goals, he said.
“Balancing is a challenge,” DeGioia said.
DeGioia, however, said that he prefers dealing with the immediate goals, such as providing students with the best semester possible.
DeGioia is teaching a proseminar for first-year students in the School of Foreign Service entitled “Ways of Knowing.”
“I like being in this world [teaching]. Now that’s immediacy,” DeGioia said.
DeGioia, the first lay president of Georgetown, said that the key factor in determining a university president’s competence is his ability as an administrator.
The standards are the same for Jesuits and lay presidents alike, he said.
“It didn’t matter if they were priests. If they didn’t do their jobs well, they were out of here,” DeGioia said, regarding former Jesuit presidents of Georgetown.
Faith is an important component of the University, DeGioia said. “It’s a 213-year tradition. We’re comfortable in the dialogue of faith.”
“We must have inter-religious dialogues. We are a better Catholic university if we truly engage our Jewish, Muslim and Hindu colleagues. That’s my deepest conviction,” DeGioia said.
The University has played an important part in dialogue between the United States and the new government of Afghanistan.
DeGioia attributed Georgetown’s role to the unique character of the University, especially its resources and strong international programs.
“We need to be a force for justice in the world,” he said.
The University does not take its involvement in Afganistan’s future lightly, DeGioia said.
DeGioia said the University will continue to act as a facilitator and also explore educational opportunities with Afghanistan. Two Afghan students are at Georgetown on scholarships this semester.
