When $78 million flashed on the screen behind campaign chairman Roger Kessler at a gala event wrapping up CMU's historic New Vision of Excellence Campaign, fireworks lit up the room and the crowd broke into enthusiastic applause.

The CMU community has a lot to celebrate. The New Vision of Excellence Campaign for CMU - the historic first capital campaign in CMU history - shattered an ambitious $50 million goal while ending four months earlier than its scheduled conclusion.

The campaign was intended to help secure CMU's position as an academically rigorous university recognized nationally for excellent undergraduate and graduate education through four main priorities: student scholarships, faculty and program endowments, campus environment enhancements, and ongoing and special programs. It celebrated significant accomplishments in each of these areas.

"This campaign has built our confidence and lifted our sense of what's possible," said President Michael Rao. "It gave us a chance to believe that national excellence is a possibility for all of us, effectively boosting our institutional self-esteem. Over the last several years, a new standard has been set. A new pace has been established - a national pace."

Campaign coordinators and volunteers said donor generosity throughout the campaign exceeded expectations.

"People sense that a lot of exciting things are happening at the university and they want to help make a difference," said CMU Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations Mike Leto. "The success of this campaign was truly a story of people coming together to achieve great things."

With the campaign now over, Leto said new priorities are emerging. Upcoming projects that will require private support include the new Education Building, faculty endowments, graduate programs, international programs, study abroad, and capital projects in athletics.

"There are also many special projects emerging from within each of the colleges and other programs in which private support can make a difference," he said.