The New Century Campaign, which kicked off in September 1997 with $40 million in gifts and pledges, is scheduled to run through June 30, 2001. Current contributions amount to more than $78 million.
"The extraordinary generosity of our alumni, coupled with ongoing needs in student scholarship aid, academic support and new science facilities construction make this decision both attainable and necessary," said Campaign Chair Jeff Little, a 1971 Hamilton graduate and a member of the Board of Trustees. Little said the announcement of five pledges of at least $1 million in just the past six months convinced the Board that the new goal would be achieved.
Included in the campaign totals thus far is the largest gift ever to Hamilton from a living donor, $5 million from retired Newell Company Chairman and CEO Daniel Ferguson, and the largest gift ever to the college, $9.1 million from the estate of Putnam County lawyer Doane Comstock. Ferguson is a 1948 Hamilton graduate, and Comstock received his Hamilton degree in 1927.
Hamilton has also received grants of $2 million from The Brown Foundation of Texas and $2.5 million from the Christian A. Johnson Endeavor Foundation of New York. They represent the largest foundation gifts in the college's history.
Among the most satisfying gifts received thus far, Little said, is the $470,000 contributed from the employees of the college. "Nearly a third of Hamilton's faculty, administrators and staff participated in the first-ever campus campaign," Little said. "It is very gratifying that so many Hamilton employees would support our students financially by giving back to the college so generously.
Little said that although the campaign has reached several of its goals and funding for some other valuable college programs has been provided, there are critical needs still to be met. High among them are the college's top priority of increasing endowment dedicated to student scholarship aid and the requirements for renewed science facilities, which together more than justify the higher goal.
