‘Campaign for ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½’ exceeds $100 million
ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ has passed the $100-million milestone in its fund-raising campaign, announced Vice President for College Advancement Victoria M. Devlin.
The $101 million in gifts and pledges through Jan. 31 is part of a six-year campaign to raise $120 million. Known as The Campaign for ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½: Endowing Our Values, the fund-raising drive will end June 30, 2006. The College’s last campaign ended in 1996 having raised $59.3 million against a $50 million goal.
“This is great news for ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½,” said Devlin. “We’ve reached a milestone thanks to a committed and passionate group of alumni, parents and friends. They understand how important ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ is in today’s world. We’re very grateful.”
Established through discussions among trustees, faculty, staff, students, alumni and parents, the $120-million campaign seeks $45 million in new endowment for financial aid; $20 million in new endowment to sustain academic quality; $10 million in new endowment that is unrestricted in purpose; $20 million for facility revitalization, including a new dining Commons; and increased annual giving to the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Fund, with a goal of $25 million over five years, to support the operations of the college.
Of the $101 million raised, Devlin pointed to two areas of success. “Donors have exceeded our academic goal, giving $21.2 million,” she said. “That sum includes five new endowed professorships. In many ways, our donors have eloquently underscored the notion that ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½’ reputation begins and ends with its great faculty.”
Increased giving during the campaign period has allowed ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ to accelerate its plans to increase faculty salaries, Devlin said. “We must raise our pay to be competitive with our peers, while at the same time managing escalating energy and health-care costs.”
Members of the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Board of Trustees have contributed more than $30 million during the campaign, far surpassing prior campaigns in dollars and participation. Trustee gifts endowed the new Harward Center for Community Partnerships, which celebrated its official opening Jan. 25-27.
“The initial gifts to the campaign came from our board,” Devlin noted. “All 40 members, plus each of ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½’ senior administrators, and a select group of alumni, parents and friends, stepped forward with gifts. As trustee Michael Bonney ’80 said at the time, ‘If we, who know and love ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ the best, can’t stretch to make this happen, who will?'”
Capital gifts totaling $9.2 million will enable the college to break ground over the summer and fall for a new $30-million dining commons, designed by Sasaki Associates Inc. of Watertown, Mass., and new residential housing, designed by Shepley Bulfinch Richardson and Abbott of Boston.



