On April 10, 1887, Pope Leo XIII granted the request of the archbishop of Baltimore to establish a Catholic university for the nation. The founders’ vision for The Catholic University of America: a research university that is “faithfully Catholic,” "thoroughly American,” and adapted to meet the “needs of our age and country.”
The long history of the institution is evident on a walk through campus. From Caldwell to Gibbons to Mullen Library to the Basilica, with the vast green space inviting pause in the nation’s capital, our beloved university has remained an oasis for so many. And yet, the University is alive and changing alongside the students it serves. Nursing students perfect patient skills in a simulation lab at the new Conway School of Nursing Building. Athletes - a third of the student body! - weave and sweat through campus in their athletic gear. New grants prepare priests and seminarians with practical skills to lead their communities.
The Founders Day Giving Challenge
On Founders Day, we honor our history and seek to ensure our continued growth. As Catholic University adapts to increasing competition for fewer undergraduate students nationwide, giving is central to our story and our success. Scholarships can be the deciding factor for whether or not a student attends Catholic University.
On Founders Day, the Cardinal community is invited to join a 24-hour giving challenge to celebrate our past and sustain our future. Held on April 9-10, 2026, donors may give to what matters most to them - from schools to athletic programs to student organizations.
Your Gift Matters. Make an Early Gift Today.
In 2025, the Founders Day Giving Challenge was a record-breaking success, raising $508,215 from 1,045 donors.
“In nine years of the Founders Day Giving Challenge, we have raised over $2 million in annual fund support across campus,” said Jenn Austin, senior director of annual giving. “Giving is a transformative act. Each gift makes an impact by funding a needed scholarship or research that improves lives.”
Donations drive Cardinal achievements by strengthening academic programs and rankings. The Conway School of Nursing is No. 28 among all 689 nursing schools in the nation. The Columbus School of Law has flown up the rankings to No. 71. Poets&Quants ranked the Busch School of Business in the top 10% of more than 550 AACSB-accredited business schools in the United States.
We have been blessed by a generous alumni community. In supporting their alma mater, alumni are able to see the impact of their support for our current students. Whether through Campus Ministry immersion trips, athletics nutrition resources, or state-of-the-art tools to enhance vital research, alumni support is vital and felt in every part of campus.
“As students, our alumni received the opportunity to have a transformational experience here at The Catholic University of America,” said Brian Kohler, B.A. 2001, assistant vice president for alumni engagement and annual giving. “Giving helps ensure that current and future Catholic University students continue to receive that same transformational experience and become the person God calls them to be. Together, our gifts can ensure that all members of the Cardinal community will forever make an impact in service to the Church, the nation, and the world.”
Whether alumni, parents, students, faculty, staff, or friends, we invite our Cardinal community to celebrate our history and mission as the Bishops’ University. Join the Founders Day Giving Challenge on April 9-10 or make an early gift now. We also invite volunteers to serve as a Founders Day Giving Challenge advocate.
Published on: Monday, March 30, 2026 by Audrey Hill
Tags: Founders Day Giving Challenge, Founders Day
