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Hamilton has closed the books on another successful fundraising year, breaking several records in the process. Total contributions surpassed $25 million for the fifth time in the college's history. The Annual Fund reached a new height with more than $6.81 million in gifts, up from $6.6 million last year, and the total number of donors to the college, 11,089, was the highest in Hamilton's history.

Attended by 170 individuals from 52 colleges and universities, the Sharing the Annual Fund Fundamentals Conference, referred to as STAFF, was held for the second year on the Hamilton campus, from July 14-16.

In the final chapter of its 200th anniversary observance, Hamilton concluded its on June 30, 2013, with gifts and pledges of $139.8 million.  Bicentennial Initiatives was centered on the College’s three most pressing priorities: student financial aid, growing unrestricted support through the Annual Fund.

In a unique approach to soliciting college gifts, Hamilton’s Associate Director of Annual Giving Paul Ryan ’02 will host a 24-hour fund-raising radio broadcast marathon beginning at midnight on Friday, March 1.  The Power of Many will be broadcast on Hamilton FM station WHCL 88.7, as Ryan interviews alumni around the country with the goal of generating a minimum of 500 gifts for the college.

In its bicentennial year, Hamilton has broken all previous philanthropic records, raising $42.5 million in 2011-12 versus the past record total, $30.8 million in 2006-07. This year’s success pushed the three-year Bicentennial Initiatives campaign beyond its original goal of $117 million 16 months ahead of its scheduled conclusion. In response, the Board of Trustees in June raised the goal to $133 million.

24-hour 615 on 6/15 Challenge (www.hamilton.edu/615). Ryan’s motivation: to encourage 615 alumni to make a gift to the college, thereby generating an additional $30,000 challenge gift, the average Hamilton student aid package.

Charter Trustee and Chair of the Committee on Development Jack Withiam ’71 has challenged Hamilton alumni to make their year-end contributions today. Jack, who has been called the “father of the Annual Fund in the new millennium,” promised to contribute $30,000 if 615 alumni make a contribution. 

Hamilton College’s Bicentennial Initiatives campaign exceeded its $117 million goal 16 months ahead of its scheduled conclusion on June 30, 2013. The funds raised in the first two years of this brief three-year effort now surpass $119 million.

Hamilton’s STOP Day, celebrated recently on Feb. 23, was the subject of a Chronicle of Higher Education feature article, “Hey, Students, Your Education Costs More Than You Might Think,” published on March 18. Writer Beckie Supiano reported on the day’s purpose, “to raise students' awareness that they all benefit from donations to the college, to ask their help in thanking benefactors, and to prepare them to give back as alumni.”

Starting Feb. 23, all Hamilton students are recipients of a $10,000 “scholarship.” Is this implausible? Feb. 23, declared Starting Today Others Pay or S.T.O.P. Day, marks the turning point on the academic calendar when tuition stops covering expenses and the philanthropy of others takes over. Many, if not most, students are unaware that income from tuition, room and board provides only 65 percent of the cost of a Hamilton education.