Bicentennial Initiatives

Bicentennial Initiatives, a campaign to raise $117 million primarily for three Hamilton College priorities, has reached its goal 16 months ahead of schedule.

In the first half of the 2011-12 academic year, Hamilton College broke all fund-raising records for a six-month period, said Vice President for Communications and Development Richard Tantillo, and the college is on pace to have its best philanthropic year ever when the fiscal year closes on June 30.

Hamilton’s Board of Trustees voted at their December meeting to proceed with design construction documents for a new theatre and studio arts building.

Hamilton has received notification from the SunUp Foundation of a $16 million donation, the single most generous act of philanthropy in the college’s history. Edward ’46 and Virginia Taylor, directors for the foundation, recently informed the college of the commitment, which will establish Hamilton’s largest financial aid endowment and provide support for faculty research in the sciences and new arts facilities.

Summer construction is officially under way on the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art, a 30,000-square-foot museum and teaching facility to be located at the corner of College Hill and Griffin Roads.