IN CENTURIES PAST, A REGION’S WEALTH WAS DEFINED BY ITS ACCESS TO RARE METALS. IN THE 21ST CENTURY’S KNOWLEDGE-BASED GLOBAL MARKET, WEALTH BELONGS TO THOSE REGIONS WITH DEEP RESERVES OF INNOVATIVE THINKING, ENTREPRENEURIAL DRIVE, AND WELL-EDUCATED WORKERS—ELEMENTS THAT THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON MAKES READILY AVAILABLE TO NORTHEAST OHIO.

WHAT WILL $500 MILLION IN PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT MEAN FOR UA? IN ONE WORD, PERFORMANCE. THE UNIVERSITY HAS DEMONSTRATED TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT RESULTS, ACHIEVEMENTS, AND OUTCOMES ARE INSEPARABLE FROM OUR ACTIONS. TO INVEST IN THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON AND ITS CAMPAIGN IS TO TAKE SERIOUSLY THE MEANING OF “PROMISE.” FOR IF WE TRULY BELIEVE IN THE PROMISE OF A DISCOVERY, OF AN IDEA, OF AN INDIVIDUAL, WE MUST MAKE CERTAIN THAT EVERY OBSTACLE, FINANCIAL AND OTHERWISE, IS CLEARED OUT OF THE WAY AT EVERY STEP IN THE JOURNEY TO COMPLETE ACTUALIZATION.

*Click Gold Standard to see it perform;