Bright with Promise Campaign Meets Challenge, Exceeds Goal

The campaign kicked off in July 2004 with a goal of raising $15 million in private support for the college.

Notable gifts made during the campaign include the two largest gifts ever made to the endowment, the largest gift ever made by a living alumnus, the largest bequest ever made by an alumna and the largest unrestricted gift to the college from an individual.

More than $500,000 flooded in during the last two weeks of the campaign, largely in response to a $1 million matching challenge presented by two alumni who graduated in the 1970s and wished to remain anonymous. The college successfully matched their $1 million pledge with $1 million in additional gifts from hundreds of donors, many of whom made their first gift to the college in response to the challenge.

The goal of the Bright with Promise challenge was to spur more participation by alumni, and it succeeded in a big way," said Anne Whitmore Hansen, vice president for Institutional Advancement. "The outpouring we saw from our entire alumni body, especially these last few days, was unprecedented. I can tell you the donors who made the challenge were ecstatic at the response."

Approximately 86 percent of all funds raised through the Bright with Promise campaign go toward scholarships and other forms of direct support for students.

Bright with Promise Campaign

Goal: $15 million

Total raised: $16,051,930*

Total donors: 14,614*

Alumni donors: 10,270*

Bright with Promise Challenge (April 17-June 30)

Goals: $1 million; 1,500 new alumni donors

Total raised: $1,047,027*; 942* new alumni donors

*and counting.