The future of UAB is now one billion times brighter.

Ten years after it kicked off a silent, $one billion fundraising effort and five years after publicly announcing The Campaign for UAB: Give Something, Change Everything -- UAB has accomplished the ambitious fundraising goal. The university surpassed $one billion this month, reaching its goal of achieving the milestone by the end of 2018.

The overwhelming support for the Campaign resulted in substantial funds for each of the campaign's priorities -- programmatic support, facilities, faculty, research and innovation, athletics, and student support -- adding up to a total of $1,002,957,673 to date.

"Five years ago, we began the public phase of The Campaign for UAB," said Ray Watts, president of UAB. "In the five years that have followed, we have received overwhelming support from donors, alumni and friends. We can't say 'thank you' enough."

More than 103,000 donors and alumni contributed to the campaign. All five years of the public phase of The Campaign for UAB set records for philanthropic donations, with more than $100 million given each year since 2014.

Campaign co-chairs Mike Warren, CEO of Children's of Alabama and Johnny Johns, executive chairman of Protective Life, played a key role in sharing UAB's story with potential donors.

"Reaching this goal was possible because UAB is doing work about which people are passionate," Johns said. "I have been privileged to meet with many donors who wanted to make a gift that would make a difference."

"As part of this Campaign, UAB asked supporters what was important to them, what they wanted to change in the world, and the university was able to connect those individuals to the people and initiatives at UAB who could make that change happen," Warren said.

The Campaign for UAB has helped fuel achievements that mark some of the most significant in the university's nearly 50 years of existence, including:

• The first named school -- the Collat School of Business -- thanks to the longtime generosity of Charles Collat and his late wife, Patsy; the new home of that school opened in August.
• The new Bill L. Harbert Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship also opened in the new Collat School of Business this summer.
• Record contributions to UAB athletics, with more than $50 million in support since 2015.
• Three consecutive years of record enrollment.
• The creation of novel academic programs to train tomorrow's leaders in new fields.
• 211 new endowed scholarships to attract talented students.
• 33 new endowed chairs and 59 new endowed professorships to recruit world leaders in many disciplines.
• Recognition as the Top Young University in the nation -- and 10th globally -- in The Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
• Record research funding, which has led to the development of new technologies and therapies, along with commercialization of discoveries.
• Patient care that is at the vanguard of precision medicine.
• Construction of key new facilities and continued growth as one of the most vibrant, state-of-the-art campuses in the nation.

UAB's previous philanthropic campaign took place between 1999 and 2003 and exceeded its goal of $350 million, which at the time was the largest ever undertaken by an Alabama university.

A recent study concluded that UAB provides an economic impact of $7.15 billion in Alabama and supports more than 64,000 jobs in the state. With 23,000 employees, UAB is Alabama's largest single employer.

"We are a national leader among public urban research universities with academic medical centers because of the people who work and learn here every day, and because of our donors who have demonstrated their belief in our students, faculty and staff by giving so generously throughout this campaign," Watts said.

To learn more about The Campaign for UAB, follow its progress or give, visit uab.edu/campaign.