Exceeding Expectations

A successful conclusion to our stellar Powerful Promise campaign

Rising to the Challenge

Launched in 2016, the Powerful Promise campaign set an ambitious goal to raise $65 million for scholarships, programs, facilities and the Annual Fund for Dominican. As it crossed the finish line, the campaign exceeded expectations by over $10 million. Here is a quick look at a few key successes.

Reimagining Health Education

The creation of the Borra College of Health Sciences launched Dominican’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program as well as the Physician Assistant Studies program. The support of Pier C. Borra and Renee A. Borra ’64 has enabled the university to attract talented faculty, renovate facilities, and provide cutting-edge teaching equipment.



Dominican alumnus and MacNeil Automotive (WeatherTech) founder David MacNeil’s gift to establish the Elizabeth T. MacNeil School of Nursing honors his mother, a pioneering nurse-educator. The newly named school will substantially enhance our capacity for providing highly trained, diverse nursing professionals for local and underserved communities in metropolitan Chicago and throughout the state of Illinois.

Scholarships—a $30M investment in the future

A total of 928 Powerful Promise donors invested in the next generation of Dominican students by contributing nearly $30 million in scholarship support. Their generosity included the creation of 69 new endowed funds, and two $1M challenges dedicated to scholarships for financially deserving students, as well as donations for expendable scholarships.

Clare Boothe Luce Scholars

The Henry Luce Foundation has awarded Dominican a $300,000 Clare Boothe Luce Scholars grant. The funds provide four two-year, full-ride scholarships for women in chemistry, mathematics and computer science majors. Strategically building capacity in the sciences over the past decade, Dominican has experienced an 85 percent increase in female enrollment in STEM majors, preparing young women for careers in fields in which they have traditionally been underrepresented.

An Endowed Chair Recognizing Excellence in Teaching

The Norman and Ruth Carroll Endowed Chair in Business and Economics was created to honor the legacy of the late Norm Carroll, founding dean of the Brennan School of Business, and his wife, Ruth, a former Trinity High School teacher. The Carrolls shared a commitment to values-based education, and the Endowed Chair in their names is a lasting tribute to their deep relationship with Dominican.