By Alabama Public Radio
Tuscaloosa AL – Officials at the University of Alabama have launched an ambitious effort to raise 500 million dollars by June 2009. The "Our Students -- Our Future" campaign has already raised 299 million dollars since 2002. The campaign focuses on scholarships, faculty support and campus facilities. More than half of the money raised will go to scholarships, and 175 million dollars of that will be used to commemorate the Capstone's 175th anniversary, which will be celebrated this Wednesday during Founder's Day.