Almost 1,000 Ducks descended on a special Dallas-area brunch Sunday to kick off a series of University of Oregon alumni events and learn more about why the UO expects to meet a lofty $2 billion fundraising campaign goal.

“Our goal, $2 billion, is audacious. It needs to be that way because our students deserve it,” Robin Holmes, vice president for student life, told the 2015 Oregon National Championship Brunch crowd.

Holmes was among several university leaders who participated in the program, which attracted Ducks from across the country on the eve of the first-ever national championship game.

Acting Provost Frances Bronet focused on faculty excellence, while Roger Thompson, vice president for enrollment management, spoke about the need for scholarships like PathwayOregon.

“PathwayOregon is essentially a hope program,” Thompson said of the program that covers costs for high-achieving, Pell-eligible students, clearing financial barriers for students. “PathwayOregon changes generations.”

“(A scholarship) is the best gift you can give to a child,” said Cheryl Ramberg Ford, a member of the campaign cabinet and UO foundation trustee, calling upon attendees to get involved in the university at this important time.

The event featured a series of videos highlighting students, faculty and research initiatives, as well as the marching band and cheer squad.

―By Tobin J. Klinger, Public Affairs Communications