Philanthropy Report

Fiscal Year 2025

Philanthropy Report

Philanthropy plays a transformative role at UMass Dartmouth, touching every corner of campus life.

It is a privilege to celebrate the generosity and vision that continue to elevate UMass Dartmouth. Last year, we achieved our strongest fundraising results in 15 years, raising $15.2 million from a donor base that grew by a remarkable 28 percent. Our endowment now stands at $104 million—a powerful testament to the community’s confidence in our mission.

UMass Dartmouth is thriving thanks to your belief in our potential as one of the top 15 public research universities in the country with fewer than 10,000 students. Transformative investments in scholarships help our students realize their dream of a UMass Dartmouth education.

Contributions that fuel our research mission help faculty and students make a positive impact on society. Support for programmatic initiatives like Nurse Camp and our Bar Pass Stipends helps ensure that all our students can succeed here and beyond graduation.

I am inspired by the thousands of alumni, parents, faculty, and friends who contribute to our success—every gift moves us forward together. On behalf of our students, faculty, and staff, thank you for your generosity, your partnership, and your faith in UMass Dartmouth’s extraordinary momentum.

With appreciation and Corsair pride,

Mark A. Fuller, PhD
Chancellor

Bioengineering student Kissamy Georges at her research internship at Vanderbilt University

Creating opportunities for students

A $1 million gift from alumni, scholarships, and institutional aid helps make college affordable

Backed by the generosity of scholarship donors and state support, UMass Dartmouth is committed to opening doors to personal and professional success for students by placing a high-quality college education within reach—but without the financial burden of tuition.

“Coming to UMD came down to affordability. I love it here, especially all the cultural clubs and communities on campus,” said Kissamy George ’27

UMass Dartmouth's transformational programs reduce financial barriers:

Institutional aid awarded

$21M

Endowing an extraordinary future

Alumni donors make investments that educate, inspire, and transform

With 80% of UMass Dartmouth students receiving financial aid, endowed scholarships are essential for helping motivated students to pursue their academic goals here. The enduring support of donors empowers the university to attract exceptional students, drive groundbreaking research, nurture student success, and strengthen our reputation as an affordable, world-class center for education and innovation in the SouthCoast for generations to come.

“Not having to worry about all the financial issues makes it easier to focus on my studies, graduating, and starting my career,” said Graham Kratochwill ’28.

Gifts to current use and endowed scholarships in FY25

$1.9M

“Being able to help current students afford this outstanding education and not be saddled with a ton of debt when they graduate, so they can start their careers and families is something I am so grateful to be able to do.”
Carol Rego ’82 Vice President, Project Manager, CDM Smith, Inc.

Rego makes a lasting impact on UMass Dartmouth students through the Rego Family Engineering Scholarship.

All in for the win

The community comes together to celebrate and support Corsair Athletics

UMass Dartmouth athletics thrives on a culture of winning, where dedication, resilience, and teamwork drive each of our 19 intercollegiate programs. Student-athletes push boundaries, celebrate collective success, and consistently elevate Corsair pride through competitive excellence and unwavering commitment daily.

A dedicated community

1,000+ donors

raised $98,000 to champion Corsair Athletics in FY25

“I am proud to support the football program, which was essential to my personal and professional growth. Student-athletes do more than just balance studies and games—it’s a lifelong foundation of discipline, accountability, resilience, and teamwork.”
John Cordasco ’13 Engineer, Kimley-Horn

To honor his time as a student-athlete, Cordasco established an endowment to strengthen the football program.

Creating a sustainable future

Research, innovation, and donor support turn sustainability into action

Philanthropic support from donors, partnerships, and state funding bolsters Blue Economy initiatives that impact the regional economy and improve sustainability from campus to the coast.

Initiatives driven by endowments, like Joe Tatelbaum’s Sustainability Fund and Gail and John Sampieri’s support of the Coastal Systems water quality-monitoring program, empowers the UMass Dartmouth community to learn, act, and lead in building a more sustainable future for our campus, our region, and our planet.

State funding for Blue Economy initiatives

$8M

“UMass Dartmouth is so important to our region. We are believers in public education and acknowledge the value of having this research university in our backyard.”
John & Gail (’70) Sampieri

The Sampieri’s established the Coastal Systems Program Endowment to support its summer internships.

Partnerships help launch careers

Southcoast Health supports programs in the College of Nursing & Health Sciences that educate the next generation of nurses and allied services workers

Nurse Camp and S.T.E.P. Up—two new College of Nursing & Health Science programs that inspire and motivate future healthcare professionals—help students build the skills to become compassionate, skilled nurses and healthcare professionals that are in high demand in our region.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing Ranks in the

top 10%

of U.S. programs

Supporting the pursuit of justice

To help students pass the grueling bar exam, the Dean’s Advisory Board at the School of Law donated nearly $50,000 to assist graduates in the two-month period between graduation and the exam so they can focus on their studies without the added pressure of work and financial burdens.

"As a proud public law school dedicated to access and opportunity, this support is essential to fulfilling our mission to Pursue Justice. I am profoundly grateful to our incredible board for their commitment to our students' success," said UMass Law Dean Sam Panarella.

“The Bar Stipend allowed me to remain on campus and study in the environment where I learn best, at the law school, surrounded by the support staff and fellow graduates who were also preparing for the bar exam.”
Jillian Hansen, JD ’25 UMass Law graduate

The Liberal Arts & Sciences Building Restoration

Restoring the academic heart of campus

The Liberal Arts & Sciences Building, Paul Rudolph’s Brutalist masterpiece which has served as the academic center of campus since 1966, is undergoing a $100M renovation to transform it into a modern learning environment for the next generation of UMass Dartmouth students.

Slated for completion in January 2027, the project modernizes its classrooms, labs, and student support spaces to meet the needs of today’s campus community. With new teaching technology embedded in classrooms, upgrades to lighting, mechanical, and electrical systems, and the use of geothermal energy, the Liberal Arts & Sciences Building will be poised to serve as the foundation of learning for decades to come.

The highest total fundraising in 15 years

Total funds raised in FY2025: $15,151,777

2,614 donors made an investment in UMass Dartmouth, a 28% increase over last year

UMass Dartmouth Endowment

Distribution of endowment funds in FY2025: $2,935,301

Market value of endowed funds

$104M

New gifts to endowments from donors and matching funds in FY25

$1.9M

Total number of endowments

323

UMass Foundation Endowment

The University of Massachusetts Foundation, an independent 501(c)(3) stewards endowed funds for all five campuses in the University of Massachusetts system, applying a future-focused strategy to generate sustainable returns for long-term support for scholarships, academic programs, and faculty development. The goal of the Foundation is to achieve long-term investment returns that exceed both the annual spending distribution (or “withdrawal”) and inflation to ensure the endowment’s longevity. FY2025 not only met, but exceeded that goal, with a 15.9 percent return last year. Taking a longer view, investments have yielded an 8.5 percent return over the last 10 years, another signal of the health of the endowment.

For more information about the performance of the UMass Foundation endowment, please view its fiscal year 2025 report here.