UC Irvine raises $1 billion in 10 years

UC Irvine is the first Orange County college to raise $1 billion in donations in a single campaign, university officials said Saturday.

UCI surpassed its 10-year goal with a final tally of $1,013,853,274.

The “Shaping the Future” campaign will fund numerous scholarships, academic chairs and research projects.

“When the campus launched the Shaping the Future campaign a decade ago, it was united by a singular focus — to make tomorrow better than today for this generation and for generations to come,” UCI Foundation member Douglas K. Freeman said in a statement.

Over 113,000 donors contributed, said Freeman, who has chaired the fundraising campaign since its inception.

University leaders declared UCI the “first nonprofit organization in Orange County” to attempt and raise 10 figures in private support.

The announcement, made earlier to the media, was scheduled to be delivered publicly during the UCI Medal Awards ceremony in the Bren Events Center, according to a news release. The event was to honor more than 100 educators, scientists, entrepreneurs, authors, philanthropists and performers.

Among the projects getting funding from the campaign are autism research and stem cell-based treatments to restore sight in patients with damaged retinas.

Also getting an assist in construction and fellowship costs is Team Orange County, a group that includes students from UCI and three other O.C. campuses competing in this week’s 2015 Solar Decathlon.