To say that the Johns Hopkins Initiative is a story of surpassed expectations is a bit of an understatement. Fundraisers originally set an ambitious goal of $900 million when they launched the campaign in 1994. They reached that mark just four years later, and so raised the bar to $1.2 billion in 1998. With the close of the fiscal year--and the campaign--on June 30 came news that even that revised goal had been significantly topped.

"There's no question that a strong economy over the past decade made this success possible," said Michael R. Bloomberg '64, chair of the board ot trustees and donor of the campaign's largest single gift: $100 million. "But that just made it possible. Two other factors made it happen: A university and health system that have done great things, and supporters determined that these institutions should accomplish even more."

From the outset, administrators placed a premium on boosting the university's endowment--known as an institution's "lifeblood" because it draws earnings to pay operating costs. The result: Hopkins more than doubled its endowment over the course of the campaign, from $740 million to more than $1.7 billion, thanks both to gifts and the stock market's strong performance. Hopkins now ranks 22nd among American universities in the size of its endowment.

The Johns Hopkins Initiative garnered the five largest gifts in the university's history--three $20 million gifts and one of $50 million, in addition to Bloomberg's $100 million. At the same time, the campaign was marked by breadth; more than 100,000 alumni, friends, and organizations joined the effort. University president William R. Brody says he often found himself surprised by the size of the gifts--and not just the six-figure ones. "There were people who would give us $100 that would leave me flabbergasted because I didn't think they could afford to give us $10," said Brody.

With nearly three-quarters of the $1.52 billion in commitments in hand, vice president for development and alumni relations Robert R. Lindgren is clearly pleased--but not complacent. Efforts to raise money across the institution will not slow, Lindgren says. "At all of our schools and hospitals, there are significant needs that either could not be addressed during the campaign or have emerged since it began," he says, noting ongoing needs for patient care, research buildings, information technology for teaching and research, and student aid. -Sue De Pasquale

If you are the Hopkins men's lacrosse coach, expectations automatically run high. The team's loyal following expects no less than a national championship contender every season and is quick to point out that no Hopkins team has won it all since 1987.

Welcome to Dave Pietramala's world.

Pietramala '90, revered by many as the best defenseman ever to play for the Blue Jays, became Hopkins's 22nd men's lacrosse coach in June. He replaced John Haus, who unexpectedly resigned after two seasons to become head coach at the University of North Carolina. Haus had led the Jays to consecutive appearances in the NCAA Final Four, but could not resist the lure of returning to his alma mater.

Pietramala's hiring was announced within a few days of Haus's resignation and was treated as a homecoming. At the press conference, Hopkins director of athletics Tom Calder described Pietramala as "one of our greatest and brightest stars." And the new coach opened, "What an exciting day for me--the chance to come home."

Pietramala, 32, played on that last Hopkins national championship team. A ferocious defender, he garnered a list of honors longer than a defenseman's stick: three-time first-team All American, the nation's outstanding defenseman in 1988 and 1989, the 1989 Ennis Award as the country's best player. In 1995, he was one of 10 Hopkins alumni named to the NCAA Silver Anniversary Team, and last fall Lacrosse Magazine placed him on its all-century team. Hopkins lacrosse aficionados (you'll find them clustered in the reserve section at every home game) swear that he was the only defender in the late '80s ever to shut down the legendary attackman Gary Gait of Syracuse University.

For the last three years, Pietramala has been busy reviving the program at Cornell University. He was hired by Cornell after a 3-11 season in 1997. He reversed that team's fortunes, leading it this past season to a 10-4 record and only its second NCAA tournament appearance since 1989.

At the press conference, Pietramala said his first priority would be recruiting. He noted the importance of bringing more of Baltimore's best players to Hopkins. He added, "But if there's a great player in northern Virginia or out in Ohio, we're going to go out there and get him."

He has seen the game from all angles, as player, assistant coach, and head coach, for 15 years. "The biggest change," he says, "has been in the athletes. They're bigger, stronger, faster. The caliber of athlete is much greater now." His subsequent comments did not surprise anyone who remembered him as a player: "There's not so much hitting in the game now, and I'd like to see that come back."

Pietramala announced that he will retain his former teammate, Brian Voelker, as defensive coordinator. Another former teammate, Seth Tierney, joins Hopkins as offensive coordinator. -Dale Keiger

A new class of dual passions

High school valedictorians take note: If you're intent on attending Johns Hopkins, you'd best put in many hours of arts, sports, or volunteer-related activities. And it also helps to achieve regional--if not national--prominence in some activity or area of study.

That's the message from dean of admissions and enrollment Lorna Whalen, who notes that her office was the choosiest in known Hopkins history in selecting the nearly 1,000 members of the Class of 2004. The university admitted just 32 percent of the 9,444 who applied, the lowest "accept" percentage since the school started keeping records in 1950; last year's rate: 33 percent. About 660 students will join the Krieger School of Arts & Sciences; 320 will enroll in the School of Engineering.

"I would say most of these students have dual passions--a science lover who spends a lot of time working on his music, or a writer or poet who also has a passion for athletics," says Whalen. Other points worth noting:

Male students outnumber female students in the incoming class, 58 to 42 percent.

International students make up a record high 12 percent of the Class of 2004; that figure was 7 percent just three years ago.

The overall yield of accepted students who actually committed to Hopkins increased as well this year. -SD

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