The University of Missouri-St. Louis announced Monday that despite the recession, overall giving to the university this year totaled $26.9 million, up 54 percent from last year.

For fiscal 2009, which ended June 30, corporate giving rose 35 percent and alumni giving saw an increase of 17 percent compared to 2008.

More than 55,000 UMSL alumni live and work in the St. Louis area, the largest university alumni population in the region.

“We are thrilled to announce this record-breaking giving total,” UMSL Chancellor Tom George said in a statement. “UMSL has bucked a trend with an increase in every donor category.”

Martin Leifeld, vice chancellor for university advancement, said public universities suffer from a common misconception that they are entirely or primarily funded by taxpayer dollars. The state of Missouri funds less than 30 percent of UMSL’s operating budget, he said.