Campaign Tops $70 Million
Three bequests combined with many fiscal year-end gifts have pushed the Campaign for Washington’s College to $70.5 million just three years into a five-year, $72 million drive. The estate of the late Eleanor Gross of Baltimore is expected to provide more than $400,000. The estate of Nancy Gordon Nicewarner ’51 of Fort Wayne, IN, is expected to generate $100,000. The late Mary Louise Moore ’35 of Cheswold, DE, bequeathed $100,000 to the College.
The renovated Custom House, home of the C.V. Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience and the Center for Environment and Society, is fully operational. Important to the future of the College, the two centers have attracted more than $11 million for faculty chairs, endowment, and program support.
In September, the Baltimore Cabinet, co-chaired by Craig Lewis and Doug Hoffberger ’94, celebrated the success of its regional effort with a party at the home of Robert C. “Bo” Lewis ’79, Craig’s son. The Baltimore effort raised more than $7.6 million against a $6.5 million goal. A similar effort in the Greater Washington Region exceeded its $5 million goal.
According to the College leadership, one of the most important factors in the success of the Campaign has been The Hodson Trust Challenge. Providing the impetus for the creation of four chairs, The Hodson Trust Challenge also has sparked the creation of numerous scholarships and other special endowment funds. Initially, The Hodson Trust agreed to match all gifts to the endowment of $100,000 or more, up to $10 million; in light of the College’s success, the Trust has agreed to match additional gifts up to $15 million.
Over the past year, four new faculty chairs of $2 million each have been established using the Hodson Challenge. The family of the late Lammot duPont Copeland, Chairman of E.I. duPont de Nemours & Co., established a chair in the Center for Environment and Society in his name. Connie and Carl Ferris created the Ferris Chair in Business Management; Alonzo and Virginia Decker established a Chair in the Natural Sciences, and the Board of Visitors and Governors collectively raised $1 million, using the Hodson Challenge, to establish a fourth chair in honor of President John S. Toll to recognize excellence in teaching.
Jack S. Griswold, chairman of the Board of Visitors and Governors who is also chair of the Campaign for Washington’s College, said, “This initiative has tremendous donor appeal. On one level, it demonstrates to potential donors The Hodson Trust’s commitment to this institution and to our future success and stimulates major support from others by doubling the value of all gifts of $100,000 or more to endowment. On another level, The Hodson Trust Challenge provides a wonderful way to perpetuate the name of family and friends.” Under the terms of the Hodson Challenge, a minimum of $1 million is required to endow a chair; $250,000 to endow a professorship and $100,000 to endow a scholarship.
In addition to the Copeland, Decker, Ferris and Toll chairs, The Hodson Challenge also encouraged gifts for new scholarships from The Chevy Chase Bank ($800,000), the family of Leroy Savin Heck ’25 ($400,000), Concordia Foundation ($200,000), Legg Mason ($100,000), the Seraph Foundation ($100,000), Robert and Theodosia Bowie ($143,000), and the Class of 1940 ($100,000).
Other donors have funded academic initiatives; for example, the family and friends of the late Douglass Cater gave $100,000 for a seminar program for The Society of Junior Fellows and the family of William B. Johnson gave $100,000 to establish the Johnson Business Internship program. A group of interested donors have raised $385,000 against a goal of $500,000 to provide a permanent endowment for the men’s and women’s lacrosse program. Also, a group of friends of the late Adrian Reed have created a professorship in his honor with gifts totaling more than $235,000. To date, the Hodson Trust Challenge has matched gifts totaling more than $8 million.
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