In a record-setting moment, the University of St. Thomas exceeded its fundraising goal for the Lee & Penny Anderson Arena, raising more than $131 million. It is the largest single fundraising campaign for a campus facility in St. Thomas history. Numerous media outlets covered the news.
From the Fox 9 story:
Why you should care: The fundraising campaign started when Lee and Penny Anderson announced a $75 million donation for the project in January of 2023. The gift is one of the 10 largest known in collegiate athletics ever nationally, and it’s the largest gift ever given in Minnesota.
St. Thomas has also gotten gifts from the Ryan and Iversen families for the project. The school has raised more than $56 million since the Andersons’ donation in 2023. They’ve gotten 13 gifts of $1 million or more, six of those being more than $5 million. In total, 35 donations reached the $131 million goal.
From the Bring Me the News article:
Just over two years after the University of St. Thomas received a record-breaking $75 million donation to help fund a new basketball and hockey arena, the university says it has surpassed its $131 million fundraising goal for the Division I stadium.
“This is a monumental day for the University of St. Thomas and St. Thomas athletics,” Director of Athletics Dr. Phil Esten announced in a release. “I want to thank all the donors who made this possible, choosing to make an impact on the lives of our student-athletes."
From the KFGO News article:
Officials at the University of St. Thomas say they have surpassed the $131 million fundraising goal for the new Division I basketball and hockey arena.
The campaign began in January of 2023 when Lee and Penny Anderson made a $75 million donation. St. Thomas has raised $56 million since through 35 gifts.
