CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics surpassed its campus-wide With Illinois fundraising campaign goal set more than eight years ago, finishing with a final total of more than $321 million raised.

"Our success during the With Illinois campaign is a testament to the thousands of people who stand behind our program, providing the resources to our coaches, student-athletes, and staff to strive for excellence each and every day," said UI Director of Athletics Josh Whitman. "We have been fortunate during the campaign to receive some of the most meaningful gifts in the history of Illinois Athletics; the largest donations have received the most public attention, but every gift, no matter the amount, has been appreciated and made a difference in our ability to strive for championships while fulfilling our educational mission.

"On a personal level, it has been extremely gratifying to develop true friendships with Illini all over the country, to break bread with them, to sit in their living rooms and listen to how the University of Illinois has changed their lives. On behalf of my colleagues here with Illinois Athletics, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for trusting us with your memories, with your resources, and with your passion. Special thanks to my dear friend and colleague, Howard Milton, for his exceptional leadership throughout the campaign, and to his entire development team, who have worked tirelessly, listened carefully, and connected thoughtfully with donors the world over. This campaign may be over, but our work is far from completed, and we look forward to continuing to connect with our Illini Family to advance the interests of Fighting Illini Athletics. Thank you to all!"

Whitman's first six years at the helm of the DIA were synchronized with the public launch and execution of the campus-wide campaign. Working alongside Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director and Chief Development Officer Howard Milton and more than 20 fundraising professionals in the Office of Athletic Development, Whitman, Milton, and their colleagues planned and executed an aggressive fundraising campaign that eventually generated 45 gifts of $1 million or more to help surpass the goal of $300 million.

"I express thanks to the thousands of donors who believed and trusted in our fundraising team," said Milton. "Surpassing our $300 million goal could never have been achieved without generous donor support and institutional leadership. I truly believe that Josh's ability to inspire philanthropic support is the primary reason we have been so incredibly successful. Leadership alignment has proven to be a driver helping the entire campus surpass its capital campaign goals. Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement Barry Benson and his entire leadership team, along with the vision of Jim Moore, President of the University of Illinois Foundation, have helped this world-renowned university reach heights never before thought possible. No one does this work alone. It takes the entire Illini Family."

Much of the campaign's focus advanced an ambitious facilities agenda. Two projects headlined the effort. The first, renovation of Assembly Hall into what is known today as State Farm Center, cost $170 million and featured what was then the most lucrative naming rights agreement in the history of college athletics. State Farm Center was officially re-dedicated in the fall of 2016. The second project was the Henry Dale and Betty Smith Football Center, a $79.2 million, 110,000-square-foot home for Illinois Football that was formally dedicated in October 2019. Other projects include Demirjian Park, the new home for the Illinois soccer and track and field programs that opened in the spring of 2021 at a cost of $20 million; the Susan and Clint Atkins Baseball Training Center ($8 million) and the Rex and Alice A. Martin Softball Training Center ($6 million), both opening this summer. Also in 2021, work began to renovate and expand the Ubben Basketball Practice Facility, a $40 million project, which is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2022. 

To assist Illinois' nationally ranked men's and women's golf programs, Whitman orchestrated the acquisition of the former Stone Creek Golf Club as part of a $15 million, multi-faceted gift of real estate to the University from long-time friends of Illinois Athletics, the Atkins family. The course, now rebranded the Atkins Golf Club at the University of Illinois, underwent extensive renovations using funds from a $5 million anonymous gift to provide Illinois Golf with a championship-caliber home that re-opened earlier this spring. 

The campaign total was reached with more than 117,000 distinct gifts from more than 26,000 different donors, located in 49 states and 11 foreign countries. During the campaign, DIA raised more than $30 million in new business for five consecutive years, including three consecutive years surpassing $40 million. More than $71 million raised went to scholarship support for student-athletes, while 41 new scholarship endowments were created.