The Campaign for Saint John's

Saint John's Abbey and University Announce $160 million Capital Campaign

On Friday, Sept. 27, 2013 Saint John's Abbey and University announced their latest and most ambitious capital campaign, Forward Ever Forward. The goal for the campaign, which runs through 2016, is $160 million, of which $108 million has already been committed in gifts, pledges and future expectancies.

The campaign theme — Forward Ever Forward — originates from the inspiring words of Archabbot Boniface Wimmer, OSB, founder of the first Benedictine monastery in the United States: "Forward, always forward, everywhere forward."

"This campaign is all about furthering the pioneering spirit of Saint John's," commented Abbot John Klassen, OSB. "Saint John's is characterized by a long tradition of faith, innovation and excellence that began with the establishment of a Benedictine monastery, seminary, preparatory school and liberal arts college."

Over the years, Saint John's has spawned a number of path-breaking initiatives, including Minnesota Public Radio, the Liturgical Press, the Jay Phillips Center for Jewish Learning, the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library, the Saint John's Pottery, the Saint John's Boys' Choir, the Saint John's Arboretum and The Saint John's Bible.

"No institution, especially Saint John's, can afford to be standing still ... or to spend too much time and energy looking backwards," observed Abbot Klassen. "Our goal is to strive forward, always forward."

"Forward Ever Forward is about the future," commented Dr. Michael Hemesath, President of Saint John's University. "It's about a continued faith in Benedictine, residential, liberal arts education."

Forward Ever Forward will support the next generation of innovative programs at Saint John's, such as the FirstGen Scholarship Program, the Benedictine Volunteer Corps, the Saint John's Learning Commons, the Center for Global Education, the Benedictine Institute, athletic facilities, digital manuscript preservation efforts in Turkey and Syria, and theology programs in Christian Community and Parish Life, to name a few.

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Campaign Priorities

Saint John's University

$114 Million

Support for a state-of-the-art learning commons; substantially increased scholarship programs for undergraduate students, including those who are the first in their families to attend college; new and enhanced athletic fields and facilities; and innovative educational programs such as the Center for Global Education, the Benedictine Institute, the Chair in Global Business Leadership, the Entrepreneurship Center, the Center for Interfaith Learning and the Center for the Environment.

Saint John's Abbey
$20 Million

Support for monastic vocation programs, the Benedictine Volunteer Corps, the renovation of living spaces for the monastic community and Abbey healthcare and retirement.

Hill Museum & Manuscript Library
$16 Million

Support for manuscript preservation projects around the world, including high-risk regions in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Ukraine, Ethiopia and India; groundbreaking scholarly research; and increased access to collections.

School of Theology·Seminary
$10 Million

Support for scholarship assistance for seminarians and lay graduate students, endowed chairs and professorships, the Center for Christian Community, youth programs such as Youth in Theology and Ministry and the restoration of Emmaus Hall Chapel.