We Are Phil is the University of Iowa’s faculty and staff giving program that launched in fall 2013. It highlights the transformative power of philanthropy—“Phil”—at Iowa and asks faculty and
![title wearephil_social](/sites/engineering.uiowa.edu/files/2021-03/wearephil_social.jpg)
Now in its second year, We Are Phil is holding its annual appeal this week, October 13 through October 17 on the UI campus including the College of Engineering.
A contribution package is being sent, via central mail, to all regular UI employees who are employed half-time or more, and more than 100 volunteers will host events within their colleges or departments—to raise awareness about the impact of private support, to encourage colleagues to make a gift, and to build a sense of community and have fun.
In We Are Phil’s first year, participation by faculty and staff—the number of UI employees who made a gift of any amount to support any area of the university—rose by 26 percent from the year before. More than 3,000 faculty and staff members took part by making a gift during the last fiscal year (July 1, 2013, to June 30, 2014), with their contributions amounting to more than $4.5 million to support UI programs, projects, and people.