January
25, 2002, Special Edition
The
Campaign for Mount Holyoke Surpasses $200-Million Goal
Steering
Committee to Review Future Goals and Directions for Next Two Years
An ambitious fundraising
campaign launched by Mount Holyoke College in October 1998 has
reached its goal two years ahead of schedule. The Campaign for
Mount Holyoke College surpassed its $200- million goal in late
December 2001. In February, the Campaign Steering Committee, with
approval of the board of trustees, will determine future goals
and directions for the Campaign, which continues through the end
of 2003.
"The unprecedented
success of the Campaign is a testament to the deep commitment
and fervent support that alumnae and other members of the Mount
Holyoke community have for building on the College's tradition
of excellence," said President Joanne V. Creighton. Speaking
at a celebratory reception held on campus December 20 to mark
the attainment of the goal, President Creighton also praised the
hard work and generosity of the many individuals who have made
the Campaign so successful to date.
The final tally for the Campaign through the close of December
2001 amounted to $202.5 million, raised in contributions from
alumnae, parents, and friends.
Creighton kicked off
the public phase of the Campaign in October 1998, urging that
"While this is a Campaign to raise money, it is not just
about money.…This Campaign
has as its goal nothing less than securing the College's place
as the best of the best."
To date, 21,500 alumnae,
parents, and friends of the College have contributed to the comprehensive
Campaign. Its goals have been successfully shaped by the wide-ranging
Plan for Mount Holyoke 2003, which was developed by the College
community and approved by the board of trustees in May 1997.
The Plan helped define
goals for the Campaign by articulating the need for a stronger
endowment, better facilities, increased support for annual giving
to the College, and support for a range of new initiatives. The
Plan also presented other strategies and goals for the College
that have led to success on numerous fronts, including record-breaking
performance in admissions.
According to Campaign
cochairs Eleanor Graham Claus '55 and Harriet Levine Weissman
'58, the success of the Campaign is a testament not only to the
deep
commitment of alumnae and friends of the College, but to the hard
work done by scores of alumnae volunteers and the staff of the
Office of Development.
In a letter to Campaign
volunteers sent earlier this month, the cochairs wrote, "A
graduate of the class of 1938 recently commented, 'I feel that
our alumnae are in a class by themselves. They are thinkers and
doers. I am so grateful that I was able to go to Mount Holyoke.'
That about sums up the Campaign's success. You are 'doers.' Thanks
you for all you have done. You make us proud."
Among the many benefits
the College has already realized through the Campaign:
- Nearly $105 million
in gifts and pledges has been raised to date for Mount Holyoke's
endowment.
Support of the endowment has been a central goal of the Campaign
and will enhance the College's ability to maintain the highest
level of educational excellence.
- More than $37 million
has been raised to contribute to the "bricks and mortar"
construction costs of three major building projects, which will
be funded primarily through the Campaign. Of those funds, $4.2
million has been raised toward the renovation and expansion
of Pratt Hall, the College's music facility. This project has
already been completed. The Campaign has also earmarked $3.2
million toward the renovation and expansion of the art building
and museum, which is nearing completion.
- In total, more
than $32 million has been raised in support of construction,
renovation, and endowment for the unified science center. Ground
was broken last year for work on the center, which will, by
its completion in 2003, encompass 116,000 gross square feet.
This project has already attracted several of the largest gifts
in Mount Holyoke's history, including a landmark naming gift
of $10 million from an anonymous alumna for the science center's
new environmentally "green" building and science center
hub, the much-anticipated Kendade Hall.
- The Kresge Foundation
has issued a $1-million challenge to assist Mount Holyoke in
completing the fundraising for the science center. To meet this
challenge, the College must raise a total of $5 million from
a broad constituency of alumnae, parents, and friends by December
31, 2002.
- Record-breaking
gifts have been made to the Mount Holyoke Alumnae Annual Fund,
including its reunion fundraising efforts.
- The Weissman Center
for Leadership was dedicated in the spring of 1999 to increase
students' understanding of the challenges facing today's leaders
and thinkers. The center was endowed with a $4-million gift
from Harriet Levine Weissman '58 and her husband, Paul Weissman,
managing director emeritus of an investment banking firm. Many
other programmatic initiatives have also sprung to life, including
the Center for Environmental Literacy and initiatives focusing
on technology and internationalism.ounter
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"The drive and dedication
of the Campaign cochairs, Eleanor Claus and Harriet Weissman, have
been one key to the success of the Campaign," according to
Charles J. Haight, vice president for development. "Not only
do they exemplify the College's proud tradition of fostering women
leaders, they have helped forge an effective partnership among faculty
members and administrators, the development staff, and our network
of Campaign volunteers and donors throughout the country."
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