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About the campaign

It’s time to elevate NAU

Since its founding, NAU has remained true to a powerful mission: provide an affordable, high-quality education that prepares students for meaningful futures. Today, that mission is more urgent than ever.

Elevate, the campaign for Northern Arizona University, is a $300 million investment in our students, faculty, and campus experience. Your support will help create a brighter future for students, build a stronger workforce, and drive lasting impact.

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Key areas

Our priorities

NAU is well-positioned to elevate the college experience in four key priority areas: student access, academic excellence, faculty impact, and campus experience.

01

Elevate access for students

Every student deserves access to a high-quality education, but for many, cost is the greatest barrier. More than 97 percent of NAU students receive financial aid, and investing in scholarships helps us ensure that cost doesn’t stand in the way of a student’s dream.
02

Elevate academic excellence

NAU is committed to awarding 100,000 people an NAU credential by 2035, with a focus on preparing students for sustainable, purpose-driven careers. We provide students with real-world experience, mentorship, and the critical skills needed to succeed. Endowed gifts and naming opportunities will help expand these experiences.
03

Elevate faculty 
impact

As we build on our Carnegie-recognized R1 research status, we aim to double NAU’s number of endowed positions. An investment ensures the brightest minds have the resources they need to inspire students, make groundbreaking discoveries, and create real-world solutions that strengthen communities.
04

Elevate the campus experience

A vibrant, welcoming campus fuels belonging, creativity, and growth. We’re continuing to reimagine the student experience—investing in spaces like a new, state-of-the-art College of Nursing building that will help address Arizona’s healthcare provider shortage and revitalizing core areas of our Flagstaff mountain campus.
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Turning purpose into progress

As we recruit and retain more students, we need to ensure they are supported financially and their basic needs are being met. We need to support college programming that engages students in research and career-ready skill-building. We need to keep our campus facilities updated and equipped with the best resources, and we need exceptional faculty and alumni to show up for them, to pass on their wisdom, and inspire them to go further.

We hope you will join us in NAU’s largest fundraising campaign in its history and take our university and its community to the next level—to elevate NAU.

José Luis Cruz Rivera, PhD

President, Northern Arizona University

Elevate campaign leadership

Meet the team members dedicated to elevating NAU for generations to come. We are excited to partner with you in this journey.

Nick Lobejko

Vice President of NAU Advancement and CEO of the NAU Foundation

Lisa Bagwell, ’89

Chair, NAU Foundation
Board of Directors

Jana Harper, ’90

President, NAU Alumni Association Board of Directors

Amy Phillips, ’05, ’07

Associate Vice President of Communications, Stewardship, and Campaign

View all Advancement | Foundation staff
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About Advancement | Foundation

We engage students, alumni, parents, friends, and the broader NAU community to connect, invest, and inspire current and future Lumberjacks.

As a 501(c)(3) organization, the NAU Foundation fosters relationships, inspires investment, and ensures responsible stewardship of donor contributions with guidance from a volunteer board of directors.

Led by a team of volunteer ambassadors, NAU Advancement | Foundation seeks advice from the NAU Alumni Association Board of Directors and the NAU Foundation Board of Directors. Recognized by the Association of Governing Boards and Universities and Colleges, the NAU Foundation Board was awarded the John W. Nason Award for Board Leadership in 2025.

Learn more

Why Give

Join NAU’s movement to set every student up for success

Creating access to higher education helps individuals, communities, economies, and societies thrive. Invest in NAU today to strengthen our communities and create impact for generations to come.

Make a gift