Davenport University in Grand Rapids has announced the successful completion of its ELEVATE Campaign, raising more than $35.4 million to support students, expand academic programs, and transform the future of the institution.
Launched as part of Davenport’s Vision 2025 strategic plan, the ELEVATE Campaign set out to remove barriers, expand access, and invest in the most critical areas of student success.
The campaign will benefit financial aid and mental health services to first-generation mentorship and bilingual education.
“This is more than a fundraising milestone, it’s a reimagining of what’s possible for our students and our institution,” says Richard J. Pappas, president of Davenport University, which has six campuses in Michigan, including one in Warren, along with offering an Online Global Campus.
“Thanks to the generosity and commitment of our supporters and partners, we are expanding access, empowering students, and elevating educational opportunities in Michigan and beyond.”
In total, the ELEVATE Campaign raised more than $35.4 million, supported by more than 5,000 donors and thousands more who gave through events, outreach, and advocacy. Key areas of investment include:
- $16.2 million for scholarships, resulting in 55 new scholarships — 32 annual and 23 endowed — with more than $5.5 million awarded to more than 2,800 students. An additional 18 future scholarships were created through planned gifts.
- $3.5 million to expand the College of Urban Education, launching a new Bachelor of Science in STEM Education and enrolling nearly 350 students in 2024-2025.
- $3.6 million for Casa Latina, establishing 15 bilingual online degree programs and creating 23 new positions to serve Davenport’s growing bilingual student population.
- $3 million for mental and physical health initiatives, funding two new graduate programs in mental health and nursing, launching the Keith & Kathryn Klingenberg Wellness Center and delivering nearly 5,000 student counseling sessions since 2023.
- $1.2 million to support first-generation students, mentoring 172 students with a 90 percent retention rate and reaching more than 1,000 students in the prior academic year through targeted outreach.
- $7.9 million combined in capital and other programmatic support, strengthening areas such as athletics, nursing and campus events.
The campaign’s investments have led to significant enhancements across the student experience. Davenport created new academic pathways, added faculty and support positions, expanded wellness services, and increased scholarship access for underserved populations.
ELEVATE also helped fuel Davenport’s performance across key metrics. Graduation rates have increased by 200 percent since 2009, while 95 percent of recent graduates would recommend Davenport, and 96 percent of graduates are employed or continuing their education.
Retention rates have also risen steadily, reaching 78 percent in 2024, up from 60 percent in 2009. These results reflect the university’s deliberate focus on student well-being, financial support and inclusive program design.
Signature events like the Excellence in Business Gala and Scholarship Golf Outing raised more than $1.8 million and brought more than 3,000 guests together during the ELEVATE campaign and Vision 2025 in celebration of student success.
Pappas says the university serves students through career-focused, affordable, and high-impact education.
With its Vision 2030 already underway, the university will continue investing in wellness, mentorship, bilingual access, flexible learning, and artificial intelligence, keeping student success at the core of its work.
Founded in 1866, Davenport is a private, nonprofit university serving about 5,000 students at campuses across Michigan and online. With tuition among the lowest of all private universities in the state, Davenport provides small class sizes, multiple campuses, faculty with real-world experience, and more than 100 degree and certificate programs, including the online, bilingual program Casa Latina.
For more information, visit: davenport.edu.
In Related News, leaders from Davenport University and Amway formalized their commitment to higher education and talent development with a signing ceremony held at the Amway headquarters in Ada, located a few miles east of the city of Grand Rapids. The agreement, signed on Sept. 29, 2025, provides scholarship opportunities for employees of Amway and their family members.
Amway is a leader in direct selling and e-commerce and employs more than 10,000 people who could take advantage of Davenport’s Corporate Education Scholarship.
The program offers up to $8,000 per year in scholarships to Amway employees and up to $6,500 per year to their spouses and children to the age of 29. There is also a 20 percent discount on professional development certificates and certifications through the Institute of Professional Excellence (IPEx).
Davenport University has flexible programs for adult learners to earn degrees or certificates in more than 100 areas. Many courses are offered online, and Davenport offers both 7-week and 15-week semesters.
To learn more about the Corporate Education Scholarship at Davenport for Amway employees, visit this website.
