NAU and the NAU Foundation have publicly launched Elevate, a $300 million comprehensive fundraising effort that will expand educational access, fuel academic excellence, empower faculty innovation, and enhance the campus experience for generations of NAU students.
Elevate is NAU’s largest fundraising campaign in history—tripling the size of the university’s previous $100 million campaign launched in 2013—and comes at a pivotal time for Arizona and the nation. Campaign fundraising quietly began in 2023, and to date, more than $229 million has been raised toward the goal, including 47 gifts of $1 million or more since the launch of the Elevate campaign.
Meeting Arizona’s demand
Arizona is one of the fastest-growing states in the nation—but its supply of college-educated workers isn’t keeping pace with demand. Nearly 70 percent of jobs require education beyond high school, yet fewer than half of the state’s high-school graduates go on to college. Meanwhile, public funding now covers just 12 percent of university operating costs. This widening gap between workforce need and educational access is the challenge Elevate is designed to meet.
“We know that talent is evenly distributed, but opportunity is not. By investing in education, we create the conditions for every student to thrive and to help meet the pressing workforce challenges our state faces. Elevate is NAU’s comprehensive campaign to make that future possible.”
José Luis Cruz Rivera NAU President
Essential funding priorities
The campaign focuses on four key priorities that define NAU’s strategic vision for the coming years:
- Elevate Access for Students: Expanding scholarships, emergency aid and student support to reduce financial barriers and open doors of opportunity for students
- Elevate Academic Excellence: Strengthening hands-on learning experiences—such as research, internships and study abroad—through NAU’s 100% Career Ready initiative
- Elevate Faculty Impact: Establishing endowed chairs, fellowships and professorships to attract, retain, and empower world-class educators and researchers who inspire students and advance discovery
- Elevate the Campus Experience: Enhancing facilities across NAU’s statewide campuses to create vibrant, welcoming spaces where students live, learn and connect
Among the campaign’s key capital priorities is a new building for the College of Nursing, a critical investment in Arizona’s healthcare future. The state faces a shortage of nearly 30,000 registered nurses, with rural and Tribal regions hit hardest. NAU’s current facilities are at capacity, forcing the university to turn away on average 200 qualified nursing applicants each year—not for lack of ability, but lack of space.
“A modern, purpose-built facility will allow us to expand enrollment, strengthen clinical partnerships, and prepare more nurses to serve Arizona’s communities,” said NAU College of Nursing Dean Janina Johnson. “The impact will be immediate and far-reaching, with more qualified graduates entering the workforce, more access to care for rural and underserved populations and a stronger healthcare system across the state.”
“Elevate is about translating philanthropy into real-world impact,” said Nick Lobejko, CEO of the NAU Foundation and Vice President of NAU Advancement. “Through the support of our donors and partners, we are shaping a brighter future for our students and uplifting communities in Arizona and beyond.”
Donors helping to elevate NAU
In fiscal year 2025, the NAU Foundation raised a record $68.8 million—$15 million more than the previous fundraising record set in 2023. This milestone reflects the momentum driving Elevate forward, with several transformative gifts already advancing campaign priorities.
David Muench, a preeminent 20th- and 21st-century landscape and nature photographer, gifted his photography collection spanning more than 70 years of shots from around the world to NAU Cline Library’s Special Collections and Archives. His collection ranks as one of the largest gifts in NAU’s history.
Maria and Steve Sanghi gave a $10 million gift to name the Steve Sanghi College of Engineering. Their investment created NAU’s first deanship and exemplifies NAU’s mission to deliver exceptional programs rooted in access and opportunity.
Retired scientists Karen Larson and Gary Bicker committed $5.2 million to establish the Karen Larson and Gary Bicker Elevating Excellence Funds, which support STEM scholarships, emergency housing assistance, and a professorship advancing math readiness and student success.
Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust awarded $1 million to support NAU’s higher education advancements in Maricopa County, including support of NAU’s Phoenix Bioscience Core in downtown Phoenix, advancing education and workforce development in Arizona’s healthcare sector.
“Through this campaign, we are investing in a future where NAU remains a powerful engine of economic and social mobility for Arizona—and where a transformative educational experience is within reach for all.
José Luis Cruz Rivera NAU President
Get involved
It’s time to take Northern Arizona University to the next level.
NAU is on a mission to give every student access to a high-quality education that leads to lifelong economic mobility and social impact.
Your support will open doors, shape lives, and strengthen communities.
