UMKC announces $250 million capital campaign

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - The University of Missouri-Kansas City has officially launched a $250 million capital campaign to fund more scholarships, create endowed faculty positions and expand popular programs.

Retired H&R Block Chairman Henry Bloch will serve as honorary chairman of the drive's steering committee.

The Kansas City Star (http://bit.ly/vCfxNr) reports the seven-year "Campaign for UMKC" unofficially began two years ago and is scheduled to end in 2016.

Early fundraising brought in more than $100 million, of which Bloch donated about one-third to expand the Bloch School of Management.

UMKC Foundation president Murray Blackwelder says the fund drive wasn't initially made public because the foundation didn't want to announce a campaign that couldn't succeed.

Blackwelder says he's sure now the campaign can hit the $250 million mark.

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Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com