Best of CASE District VII Award
 

Institution: University of California, Davis

Title of entry: Limitless Campaign Launch: UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine

About this entry: To launch the public phase of the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine’s Limitless Campaign, the school hosted a high-profile campaign celebration in the UC Davis Arboretum, which included a brunch buffet and a speaker program. The event brought together key philanthropic partners, alumni, faculty, and university leadership including the Chancellor and Provost.

A total of 162 guests attended, including 103 donors and guests, 28 veterinary medicine alumni, 20 staff members, 14 Dean’s Leadership Council members, and 25 VIP attendees including university leadership and elected officials.

The strategic goal of the event was to publicly launch the next phase of the Veterinary Medical Complex expansion campaign while inspiring additional philanthropic investment. The event also celebrated the opening of the new All-Species Imaging Center, an early component of the broader complex expansion.
Working within a condensed twelve-week planning window, the team produced an elevated outdoor event experience designed to connect donors with the future vision of the school. A large tent and high-end audiovisual production, including a 16-foot LED video wall, allowed the team to showcase architectural renderings of the future Veterinary Medical Complex and premiere a campaign video narrated by grateful client and actor Renee Zellweger.

The event successfully energized donors and university leadership while publicly introducing a transformational vision for veterinary medicine, setting the stage for over $86 million in gifts.