Berkeley Engineering supporters contribute $900M to historic Light the Way campaign

UC Berkeley recently celebrated the end of its ambitious Light the Way capital campaign with a remarkable tally of $7.37 billion raised, the largest fundraising effort for a U.S. public university. The historic total far surpassed the original goal of $6 billion, and nearly 18,000 friends and supporters of Berkeley Engineering contributed $900 million of that figure.

The generosity of Berkeley Engineering donors will have a lasting, transformative impact on students and faculty, offering them new opportunities and experiences. The gifts will help support innovative academic programs as well as new faculty lines, graduate fellowships and facilities.

“The results of this campaign affirm the tremendous value proposition of Berkeley Engineering as well as the amazing generosity of our friends and benefactors, which include many alumni, parents and faculty,” said Dean Tsu-Jae King Liu. “I am grateful for their support of our mission to educate future engineering leaders, advance knowledge and innovate solutions to shape a healthier, more equitable and sustainable world for all.”

Berkeley Engineering’s strong support for its faculty and graduate students — the heart of Berkeley’s research excellence — was a key focal point. Through the generosity of its donors, the college will be able to support 29 new endowed chairs, seven new faculty lines and 11 graduate student fellowships — with 31 of these new endowments named in honor of faculty.

The close of this campaign marks a major milestone for Berkeley Engineering. The college has now completed 90% of the fundraising for the new Engineering Center, having raised $85 million, with $10 million remaining to meet the final goal. The center, slated to open in spring 2025, will provide a nexus for student collaboration, innovation and entrepreneurship on campus.

The new Engineering Center, slated to open in spring 2025, received $85 million in gifts toward its $95 million goal. (Rendering by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill)

In addition, Berkeley Engineering celebrated the opening of Jacobs Hall in 2015, home to the Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation. This new building houses design studios and equipment labs that offer flexible space and access to tools for prototyping, iteration and fabrication. From sketching to cutting-edge digital fabrication, the building facilitates a diverse range of making practices under one roof.

Other initiatives focused on entrepreneurship, design and emerging research areas also garnered significant philanthropic support, including: the new Management, Entrepreneurship, & Technology joint undergraduate program with the Haas School of Business, the Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology, the FHL Vive Center for Enhanced Reality, and the Berkeley Mentorship Cohort, a new peer mentoring program aimed at increasing access and equity for all undergraduate Berkeley Engineering students.

During the multiyear campaign, the college received over 85,000 gifts. This broad support led to a 76% increase in giving to the Berkeley Engineering Fund, a vital resource providing flexible funds that allow college leadership to respond to urgent needs and jump-start new programs.

Although the Light the Way campaign has officially ended, ongoing donor support will remain crucial to maintaining Berkeley Engineering’s position as a global leader in engineering education.

“Looking to the future, Berkeley Engineering will continue to prioritize modernization of its programs and facilities to support the success of our world-class faculty and amazing students,” said Dean Liu. “Philanthropic support will continue to be a key factor enabling us to realize these goals.”