Faculty, staff, students and retirees worked together to raise over $1 million for Ohio State’s annual Community Charitable Drive. The university exceeded its goal for the seventh year in a row.

“This was an exceptional year,” said Michael Hogan, executive dean of the arts and sciences and co-chairman of the drive.

Overall, the university surpassed its goal by about 17 percent, Hogan said.

“It gives a positive impression of the university to the community, and that the faculty members who live there are big-hearted and generous,” Hogan said.

President Karen A. Holbrook is pleased with the outcome this year.

“It’s phenomenal. We’re such a large university that you would expect a big amount, but I’ve never seen a goal exceeded by this much,” Holbrook said. “I’m grateful to everyone for being so generous.”

Holbrook even pledged to donate 2 percent of her salary to the United Way. The 2 percent gift is called a leadership gift, and Holbrook’s contribution added to the $9,230 that the Office of the President alone raised.

“It says that people care about the community around them when people who have give to the people who don’t,” Holbrook said.

The University Medical Center had the highest total of $243,782, generated from about 1,000 of its 9,000-member staff, said Amy Hurley, co-chairman for the Medical Center community charity committee.

“We’re lucky because we’re so big and have so many resources, but it’s also hard to do anything that involves everyone,” Hurley said.

The drive was divided by colleges and the competition between them, Hogan said.

“It’s all for fun, and it’s a collaborative effort of faculty and staff,” Hogan said. “Some schools used some very inventive strategies.”

In conjunction with football games the Medical Center held activities like tailgates, drawings, talent shows and free meals to encourage faculty to contribute.

“The only reason the Medical Center can do what we do for the university is because of the administration,” Hurley said.

The administration helped by modeling OSU gear and reading jokes at the talent show, which was unofficially named the “untalent show,” Hurley said.

Hurley said the Medical Center really cares about the community.

“When people filled out donor cards they designated charities,” Hurley said. “They weren’t just throwing out money, they really looked into it.”

This was an exceptional year for OSU, Hogan said, who has accepted a provost position at the University of Iowa.

“I’m sure they do something similar, and I’d like to get involved with it there,” Hogan said. “I won’t be here next year unfortunately, but I’ve suggested the slogan ‘Do more in ’04!'”