Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) has unveiled a bold $2 billion “Make Possible” campaign - the largest in its fundraising history to build resources to support educational initiatives across the institution.

According to the university, the campaign will focus on accelerating technological advancements, fueling artistic expression, achieving scientific breakthroughs and "fostering a dynamic experience that enables Carnegie Mellon students to thrive throughout their lives."

So far, more than 42,000 supporters have contributed more than half of the campaign's $2 billion during its quiet phase.

“Our global society is at a pivotal moment, when technology is transforming every aspect of how we live, work, communicate and play. The expertise that our world needs right now is exactly what Carnegie Mellon does so well," CMU President Farnam Jahanian said in a statement.

"Make Possible is our community's philanthropic investment to advance our education and research mission, empower our students, faculty and staff, and benefit the lives of people across the planet," he added.

Consistently ranked as a top twenty-five institution, Carnegie Mellon is well-known for its unique approach to education and research. Left-brain and right-brain thinking unite within its collaborative culture. Carnegie Mellon is known for its programs in science and technology, but its seven schools and colleges include the College of Fine Arts, the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences (which combines liberal arts education with professional specialization), the Mellon College of Science, and the Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy. The university’s graduate programs include the highly ranked Tepper School of Business, Carnegie Institute of Technology and School of Computer Science.

Only freshmen are required to live on the beautiful 148-acre campus, but the university guarantees housing for all four years, and most students choose to remain on campus. There are at least 60% of students living on campus, with 28 residence halls and wonderful apartments on and off campus.

Dating back more than a century, some Carnegie Mellon University traditions have a Scottish flavor (The Kiltie Band) as a nod to Scottish industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie who founded the university in 1900.

• The Tartans: Carnegie Mellon’s official school color is tartan plaid, consisting of blue, red, green and yellow. The school is also true to its Scottish roots in being one of the few university’s that offers a major in bagpiping.
   
• Painting the Fence: In a long-standing campus tradition, anyone can paint it, whether it is to promote an upcoming event or just to wish a friend happy birthday. But strict tradition dictates that the unofficial university billboard, the Fence is painted between midnight and sunrise by students who then stand guard as long as they want their message to stay.
   
• Fun Fact: The original Fence was once in the Guinness Book of World Record as the "most painted object in the world" until it collapsed and was replaced by a steel-concrete fence.
   
• Spring Carnival: Dating back to 1920, the entire college community comes together for the annual four-day festival, Carnegie Mellon's oldest tradition. It includes carnival rides, games, food and entertainment.
   
• Buggy sweepstakes: A Spring Carnival highlight, students race "buggies," often reaching up to 35 miles per hour. Student groups design and build the aerodynamic cylinders — "pushmobiles," as they were called when the tradition started in 1920.
   
• Bagpipers: It doesn't get more Scottish than bagpipes. Carnegie Mellon's Pipes and Drums can be found practicing around campus and performing at formal university events.
   

Students at Carnegie Mellon embrace the motto “My heart is in the work,” whether that work is painting the Fence, splitting the atom, or winning the game.