The Auburn Family creates the best fundraising year in university history

Each year at Auburn, students pursue their academic goals, faculty discover solutions for the world’s greatest challenges and communities see hope in areas that once seemed hopeless. In 2024, Court Green-Johnson  graduated with a degree in agriculture, showing her children that it’s never too late to chase your dreams. Evelyn Hunter received Auburn’s first philanthropic grant from Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation to study multiple sclerosis health disparities in rural communities. The local food project O Grows served the local community as the only direct-to-consumer farmers market in the area, and Auburn launched a commercial recording studio where students don’t just imagine what it’s like to record an original song in a state-of-the-art facility — they can actually do it.

What do all these achievements have in common? The Auburn Family’s generosity.

In fiscal year 2024, alumni, friends and the corporate community made 76,608 gifts totaling more than $224 million, making it Auburn’s largest fundraising year ever. Gifts at all levels, for both immediate use and invested endowed funds, supported student scholarships and fellowships, faculty endowment, programmatic funds and new and renovated facilities, as well as numerous projects on Tiger Giving Day.

Learning + Doing

What does this record-breaking generosity look like day to day on Auburn’s campus? It looks like first-generation student Aliyah Freeman who is realizing her dream to attend Auburn when financial need made it once seem impossible. And Carter Dees who was highly recruited by multiple universities but chose Auburn because of the academic scholarship offer that set us apart.

And as the university puts action to words on its new strategic plan—the heart of which is providing an exceptional student experience, the resources generated from donor gifts are creating high-impact, out-of-the-classroom educational opportunities like hands-on experience in Auburn’s first philanthropy-funded Archaeology Field School and real-world opportunities through the Winchester Institute for Real Estate Development.  

And all of these things are taking place in modern facilities with advanced equipment and technology, both on campus and off, like the new Education building, the Kreher Preserve & Nature Center and the Auburn in Birmingham building.

Engagement + Commitment

But there is more to giving back to Auburn than philanthropy. In addition to financial investments from the Auburn Family, there are thousands of alumni and friends who engage with the university in myriad ways. Our regional engagement officers are not only bringing alumni back to campus, but also taking Auburn throughout the country to provide personalized experiences through alumni events, local Auburn Clubs, the Women’s Summit and affinity groups like young alumni and Black alumni.

Historic Giving

All of these connections—vision, engagement, giving—have come together to create a year like no other at Auburn. The generosity of the Auburn Family fuels the belief that to invest in people is to invest in our future. And for many, that future begins at Auburn.