Westminster College Has Record Fundraising Year

Westminster College enjoyed its most successful fundraising year in history with gifts totaling over $5.7 million.

The $5.7 in restricted and unrestricted giving surpassed the previous best of $5.4 million in 1992. Westminster also set a record with 42% of alumni donating to the Westminster Fund, the annual commitment to excellence. The alumni participation percentage places Westminster in the top ten percent of all colleges in alumni loyalty. Gifts to the Westminster Fund supplement scholarships and financial aid, student programming, library resources, faculty development, and assist in the daily operations of Westminster College.

Westminster reported 100% involvement from its Board of Trustees for the fourth straight year, and also had 44% of parents of current Westminster students contribute gifts to the College.

"Perhaps the most impressive statistic of all is that 55% of the Class of 2000 contributed to the Senior Class Gift," said President R. Thomas Williamson. "The generosity of our trustees, alumni, friends, foundations, faculty, staff, parents and students is simply amazing. Westminster is moving forward because of them."

Two major fundraising challenges were received and met during the past year: $1.5 million from an anonymous donor to the Thompson-Clark Renovation Project and the $3 million Andrew McKelvey Challenge for the construction of a new Campus Center. Thompson-Clark, built in 1893, maintains its 19th-century charm on the exterior, but will feature state-of-the-art facilities on the inside. It will reopen in January. Westminster expects to hold groundbreaking ceremonies for its $12 million Campus Center in May.

Construction on the James F. Edwards Wing at Memorial Field House is scheduled to being in September with completion in July. The Edwards Wing will feature expanded locker rooms.

Next spring construction will begin for a new all-weather track and field complex made possible by a $500,000 grant from The Hoyt Foundation of New Castle.

Contact Gloria Cagigas, vice president for Institutional Advancement, at (724) 946-7368 for more information.

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