Princeton University has released a new report titled “Forward and Beyond,” detailing the outcomes of its Venture Forward alumni engagement and fundraising campaign, which concluded on June 30, 2025. The campaign was launched publicly in October 2021 and aimed to build community among alumni, secure philanthropic support for the university’s priorities, and promote Princeton’s core values.
“Venture Forward has been exceptionally successful even by Princeton’s sky-high standards,” said President Christopher L. Eisgruber ’83. “Through their engagement and giving, Princeton alumni and friends have transformed the campus, expanded opportunity for a greater number of talented students, and made audacious bets on people who are pushing the boundaries of what we can know and discover.”
The campaign was led by a steering committee of alumni volunteers including co-chairs Katherine Brittain Bradley ’86, Blair Effron ’84, and James Yeh ’87. More than 75,000 donors contributed to Venture Forward—comprising undergraduate and graduate alumni, corporations and foundations, parents, and friends. These contributions funded the endowment of 69 new professorships, 350 new undergraduate scholarship funds, and over 60 new graduate fellowships.
A significant portion of donations came through Annual Giving (AG), with more than 60,000 alumni representing 65% of undergraduate alumni contributing $689 million in unrestricted support. The first year of Venture Forward saw AG reach a single-year record of $81.8 million.
“It is extraordinary to witness the transformative power of a community rallying around their values to boldly advance a shared mission,” said Kevin Heaney, vice president for Advancement. “Despite a global pandemic and waves of civic discord throughout the campaign, Princeton’s alumni and friends were undaunted. Through their service and philanthropy, they enabled Princeton to ask big questions and seek new paths of knowledge that can address some of the world’s most complex challenges.”
The report highlights several tangible impacts from Venture Forward gifts on campus life. Two residential colleges—New College West and Yeh College—have opened while Hobson College is under construction; these projects have enabled an expansion in undergraduate enrollment by 10%. The university’s financial aid program has also grown as a result: for the academic year 2025-26 the average aid package exceeds tuition costs by more than $14,500 with about 69% of students qualifying for aid; roughly one quarter are Pell Grant-eligible lower-income students while first-generation college students comprise approximately 17%.
A major gift established the Emma Bloomberg Center for Access and Opportunity to unify support programs for first-generation or lower-income students while serving as a research hub on college access.
The campaign also provided resources for cross-disciplinary work addressing urgent environmental challenges at Princeton. Gifts established or supported entities such as the High Meadows Environmental Institute (HMEI) along with Briger Hall—a facility housing HMEI as well as departments focused on ecology/evolutionary biology/geosciences—and created thirteen endowed professorships in engineering disciplines.
Other facilities developments include Omenn-Darling Bioengineering Institute for interdisciplinary health research; Eric & Wendy Schmidt Hall will become home to computer science faculty; meanwhile arts initiatives benefited from funding exemplified by completion of the new Princeton University Art Museum.
Several centers focused on regional/cultural studies were founded via major gifts during Venture Forward—including those centered on China (Paul & Marcia Wythes Center), India (M.S. Chadha Center), America (Effron Center), Africa World Initiative—as recommended by university strategic frameworks.
Service initiatives also received attention: Endowed Novogratz Bridge Year Program enables admitted undergraduates to defer entry for international service/learning experiences; Learning & Education Through Service (LENS) program guarantees paid service/social impact internships during student years at Princeton.
Alumni engagement was another key focus: more than 47% percent of undergraduate alumni volunteered during the campaign along with about 4,800 graduate alumni across various committees/groups/conferences/leadership roles. New affinity groups were formed—including associations for veterans (PVETS), Native American alumni (NAP), Jewish alumni (AJPA)—and several large-scale events brought together members across identities/backgrounds globally.
Jen Caputo deputy vice president for Alumni Engagement stated: “The success of this campaign was possible because of the unparalleled engagement of the Princeton alumni community…Venture Forward was unique in its focus on all types of engagement…”
Communications efforts included launching TigerSide Chats online series featuring faculty-administrator conversations with alumni leaders attended by over two thousand participants in its first year; digital campaigns helped share stories related to university initiatives throughout Venture Forward’s duration.
In December 2025 President Eisgruber began hosting gatherings nationwide celebrating successes achieved through Venture Forward while thanking participating alumni: “I look forward to venturing beyond with you in coming years…to pursue new avenues…that ‘take us from present to possible,’” he said.
