External Bridges
Despite significant staffing transitions in key fundraising positions in FY19, new gifts and commitments to The Power of Stevens campaign in FY19 totaled $15.4 million, short of the $24 million goal, and increased the campaign total to $165.9 million by the end of the fiscal year. While Stevens’ U.S. News & World Report peer assessment ranking has not yet reached the desired target, the peer reputation score, which is used in the ranking calculations, has improved to 2.9 in 2019, from 2.6 in 2014. A significant number of facilities, landscaping, signage, and communications activities enhanced the campus visitor experience, and consistent with prior years, a wide variety of initiatives were implemented to demonstrate Stevens’ value and contributions to the Hoboken community. To advance the university’s efforts to become a more “corporate friendly” university, the Corporate Friendly Committee produced its recommendations and two standing committees were subsequently formed. These committees will serve as the organizational infrastructure for Stevens’ corporate engagement initiatives: the Corporate Relations Committee and the Corporate Transaction Committee both of which began their work in the Fall of 2019.