Making an Impact Campaign Surpasses $27 Million Mark as First Year Concludes

As the University of Maryland School of Law nears the end of the 2007-08 fiscal year, the Making an Impact Campaign has surpassed its annual goal by securing more than $7 million in new commitments this year. The campaign, which marked the launch of its public phase in November 2007, has generated over $27 million in support of the law school to date and remains on target to attain its overall goal of $50 million by 2012.

"Strong leadership support from some of the law school's most generous benefactors has been vital to the campaign's early success," said Associate Dean of Institutional Advancement Teresa K. LaMaster ´95. "These individuals have demonstrated a commitment to the law school's mission that will inspire future benefactors."

Making an Impact, part of a comprehensive $650 million campaign being undertaken by the University of Maryland, Baltimore, is already the most successful fundraising initiative in the law school's history. Early gifts total more than the entire $10 million goal of the School of Law's previous record-setting campaign. Campaign goals include $20 million for student support, $20 million for faculty and program development, and $10 million for discretionary spending.

The last five years have been a time of remarkable achievement for the School of Law. The amount of faculty scholarship published in the nation's leading law journals has tripled. Applications have increased from 2,700 to more than 4,000, making Maryland one of the nation's most selective law schools. Concurrent with these developments, the School of Law is now solidly positioned within the top tier of law schools, and several of its specialty programs are among the highest-ranked in the country.

Earlier this month, the School of Law announced the creation of LEAD, a new initiative emphasizing leadership, ethics, and democracy in legal education. LEAD is being developed in partnership with the Fetzer Institute, which is supporting the initiative with a $1.68 million investment in the law school.

"For nearly 200 years, the School of Law has been an engine for leadership in law, business, government and public service. The creation of the LEAD initiative is just one example of how this campaign will ensure our ability to continue that vital mission," said Dean Rothenberg.