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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 10, 2004
BETHANYCOLLEGE EXCEEDS FUNDRASING GOAL BY $1.5 MILLION
LINDSBORG, KAN.—The Bethany College Board of Directors today announced the conclusion of a three-year, $8.5-million fundraising campaign that exceeded the original campaign goal by $1.5 million.
“To say the Reaching Higher Campaign for BethanyCollege was successful is an understatement. Clearly, the friends and alumni of BethanyCollege believe in the college and its future. These donors have spoken loudly: Bethany is moving forward in its mission of preparing individuals for lives of service,” said Bethany College President Paul Formo.
Meeting in Kansas City, Mo., this weekend, the board praised the many volunteers who worked hard to increase giving.
“We had a lot of people extending themselves, and we had a lot of surprises. I am pleased that so many people gave more than they normally do. Usually, that becomes a trend for more giving in the future,” said Bethany alumnus and campaign co-chair Ken Sjogren, Lindsborg.
“It sends a message that Bethany will not just survive, but thrive. There’s great hope for the future,” said Bethany alumnus and campaign co-chair Chris Crawshaw, Wichita.
College supporters were particularly generous in financial aid and scholarship giving. With the growing gap between tuition and family resources, scholarship gifts are increasingly important.
“Young people today are going to need some assistance to get their higher education. In most cases, alumni were helped, too. This is their way of giving back,” Sjogren said.
Campaign gifts allowed Bethany to enhance facilities, completing long-needed deferred maintenance projects. In a 50/50 partnership with Lindsborg USD 400, $241,308 was spent to resurface the track. Some $500,000 was spent to stop and repair mold growth in the college library. A $100,000 Sunderlund Foundation gift was used to repair the leaking roof on Stroble-GibsonCenter.
Another campaign goal was revitalization of the on-campus student environment to increase recruitment and retention. Deere Hall was reconfigured from traditional rooms into suites—a more appealing floor plan for today’s students. The student dining center was redesigned for a more welcoming and efficient food service. All Bethany residence halls now have air conditioning.
Campaign gifts also allowed Bethany to improve learning resources. A $50,000 gift from the Earl Bane Foundation was used to give students living on campus high-speed internet access in their dorm rooms. Another $50,000 gift from the Earl Bane
Foundation is being used to create six smart classrooms with digital video projection systems.
Every Bethany board and Alumni Council member contributed to the campaign, showing “not just commitment, but confidence about the future,” said Bethany College Board Chair and alumnus Bill Gusenius, Lindsborg.
Many of the donations were estate gifts, and “many of the estate gifts came unexpectedly from people whom we were unaware had such a deep appreciation for the mission of Bethany College,” said Bethany College Vice President for Institutional Advancement Karen Humphrey. “People who make such designations in their estates invest in students—and that is an investment that goes on for generations,” Humphrey said.
The Reaching Higher Campaign for BethanyCollege was a comprehensive campaign, meaning every gift made to BethanyCollege from July 1, 2001, to June 30, 2004, was included. Giving to the annual fund for the three years of the campaign totaled $3,825,445. Giving to the endowment over the same period totaled $3,831,091. Private scholarships totaled $587,707. Outstanding pledges of $260,894 may be fulfilled through June 30, 2005.
Bethany College, established by Swedish Lutheran immigrants in 1881, is a college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. The mission of Bethany College is to nurture and challenge individuals in their search for truth and meaning as they lead lives of faith, learning and service.
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