Colorado College Bulletin

Over the Top!

Colorado College Completes Its Most Ambitious Campaign in History

By ROBERT HILL

Courtesy of Tutt Library Special Collections"I can tell when each building was erected, where every dollar came from, and the care it has taken to keep them in such good condition." -- President William F. Slocum 

In the college archives, a yellowing photograph shows a merry band of collegiate rapscallions in Western garb, posing on Tejon Street in a civic parade. Two are holding signs, thanking benefactor Dr. D.K. Pearsons for his “big check for Colorado College” that established the school’s $200,000 endowment fund.  

A front-page article in the Colorado Springs Gazette further details how Pearson’s generosity came just in time for “a college that has been growing with great rapidity.” Annual expenses reportedly rose from $5,000 to $26,000 in a single year, and “endowment funds or no college was the alternative before the board of trustees.” 

A century later, the stakes -- and the breadth of daily operations at a residential college -- have changed considerably. On June 30, Colorado College concluded the most successful campaign in its long history -- The Campaign for Colorado College, a $90 million effort that exceeded its ambitious $83 million goal.  

The public announcement of The Campaign for Colorado College coincided with the college’s 1999 quasquicentennial celebration. In 1994, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation pledged $4 million in an unrestricted challenge grant that eventually realized $20 million. Other grants from institutions such as the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Kresge Foundation, and large personal gifts from alumni gave the campaign its momentum in the initial 18 months.

President Mohrman topping the Tiger Tail tree on Armstrong QuadThe ensuing campaign reflects the broad interests of its major contributors, says Robert Manning '69, campaign co-chair.  "We've not only completed but also surpassed the largest fundraising goal in the college's history, thanks to the support of our alumni, trustees, parents, friends, and corporate and foundation partners," he says.  "We're pleased to see how these gifts have physically transformed the campus, given our students greater resources for learning, strengthened our faculty, and invigorated our spirit of community."

Campaign co-chair Professor Michael Grace '63 agrees, adding how proud he was "that nearly every person who collects a college paycheck contributed to help launch our Course of Distinction." 

In addition to enhancements to technology, athletics programs and facilities, and international and intercultural studies, the campaign’s major initiatives have been the following:

-- Cornerstone Arts Initiative:  $20 million goal (revised to $26 million to reflect actual building and program cost)

-- Financial aid:  $20 million goal

-- Academic enhancements:  $15 million goal

-- Russell T. Tutt Science Center:  $10 million goal (revised to $13 million to reflect actual building and program costs)

-- Faculty development:  $7 million goal

In nearly every case, the college met or exceeded its stated goal before the end of the campaign. Besides the fact that the overall campaign achieved 107 percent of its goal, the books show comparatively little in outstanding pledges. “The cash flow in this campaign has been tremendous,” notes Steve Elder, associate vice president of development. “More than $72 million of the amount we raised is already in hand, about 80 percent of the total. That’s very high.” Wilson notes that the campaign will end with less than 15 percent of the gifts in outstanding pledges. 

The campuswide consensus about campaign goals, hammered out early in the enterprise, contributed to strong support for each initiative across all of the college’s charitable constituencies. Foundations were the largest single group of contributors ($30.7 million), followed by alumni ($22.7 million), and trustees ($14.6 million).

Perhaps the most visible legacy of The Campaign for Colorado College will be the new Tutt Science Center, a 51,000-square-foot complex of labs and smart classrooms to house environmental science, psychology, hard rock geology, neuroscience, and mathematics. Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2002 with the first classes convening in fall 2003. The Tutt Science Center attracted significant foundation support, most notably a $5 million grant from El Pomar Foundation and $4 million from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, one-third of the $12 million total it contributed. The Helen K. and Arthur E. Johnson Foundation, the Kresge, Gates Family, W. M. Keck, and Adolph Coors Foundations also helped underwrite the new building.

But perhaps one of the more significant legacies is the $20.5 million for financial aid, a fund that enables the college to sustain equitable admissions policies while insuring the academic quality of the student body.

In all, the college added a remarkable $32.5 million to its endowment. The library endowment grew by $1.5 million to maintain its collection, and the Crown Teaching and Learning Center for faculty development received an equal endowment. Additional faculty endowments will support academic exchange and release time for professional research. Part of the total also includes several faculty chairs endowed during the campaign to recognize outstanding teaching, scholarship, and leadership in the college community:

-- The Robert C. Fox Professorship, held by Michael Grace (music)

-- The Lloyd Edson Worner Distinguished Service Professorship, held by Timothy Fuller (political science)

-- The Nancy Bryson Schlosser and C. William Schlosser Professorship in Arts, held by Carl Reed (fine arts)

-- The John L. Knight Chair for the Study of Free Enterprise, held by Mark Smith (economics)

-- The William R. Hochman Endowed Chair in History, held by Susan Ashley

-- The Packard Endowed Professorship in Environmental Science, held by Walt Hecox (economics)

       This campaign has really been a team effort from the start," Wilson says. “Were it not for the professionalism of a hard-working staff in the advancement office and a dedicated core of volunteers, we could never have even hoped to surpass our goal by nearly $10 million.”

      Wilson forecasts "a change in the culture of philanthropy at Colorado College, in the minds of its alumni, parents, and friends, one that will enable us to sustain new levels of financial support beyond this campaign."  

      President Kathryn Mohrman agrees.  "Alumni, parents, and friends of the college are very excited about what has been achieved.  The momentum we built in the last seven years won't come to a halt at campaign's end.  Our success creates a foundation that enables us to continue to make incredible things happen."

      "The Campaign for Colorado College keeps CC in the forefront of national liberal arts colleges," says Bill Ward '64, chair of the Board of Trustees.  "We are pleased so many have joined us on our Course of Distinction and contributed to the campaign's success."

      Funding for the arts continues after the campaign -- read more.  Click here to find out more about the campaign.

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