2008 Woodie Awards
Capital campaign enters faculty stage
By: Peter Wright
Issue date: 2/22/08 Section: News
Macalester began its first efforts appealing to faculty and staff to participate in the college's ongoing capital campaign on Thursday, Feb. 14, by hosting a breakfast for Facilities Management and a lunch for the Humanities building and the library.
Macalester will now focus on targeting employees through a series of similar breakfasts and lunches, in which representatives of the advancement office will discuss the capital campaign and how faculty and staff can contribute to fundraising efforts.
Assistant Vice President of Advancement Operations Kate Abbott said that she would like to see 100 percent participation from faculty and staff at Macalester, but emphasized that if the campaign reaches 50 percent, an anonymous donor will create a new $100,000 financial aid scholarship.
"It could build to be a great gift from the faculty and staff," Abbott said.
Soliciting faculty and staff is intended to provide solid backing for future fundraising in Macalester's capital campaign, an effort to raise $150 million for renovations and construction on campus, as well as financial aid, Abbott said. She said that being able to demonstrate a high participation from employees could instill more confidence in organizations considering a donation to Macalester.
"By having a supportive community on campus, that really gives the fundraisers a tool," Abbott said.
The events on Thursday were intended to generate interest in the campaign, and to motivate employees to join the effort. Events are divided by buildings on campus.
"We hope it will change the culture of giving," Abbott said.
Professor emeritus Jack Rossmann, who serves as the faculty representative in the campaign, said that the lunch for Humanities consisted of a series of speeches by each of the campaign liaisons (himself, Chaplain Lucy Forster-Smith, and coordinator for the political science department Roxanne Fisher), as well as selected professors and staff from the Humanities building, followed by a short film of Macalester employees talking about supporting the college.
Macalester will now focus on targeting employees through a series of similar breakfasts and lunches, in which representatives of the advancement office will discuss the capital campaign and how faculty and staff can contribute to fundraising efforts.
Assistant Vice President of Advancement Operations Kate Abbott said that she would like to see 100 percent participation from faculty and staff at Macalester, but emphasized that if the campaign reaches 50 percent, an anonymous donor will create a new $100,000 financial aid scholarship.
"It could build to be a great gift from the faculty and staff," Abbott said.
Soliciting faculty and staff is intended to provide solid backing for future fundraising in Macalester's capital campaign, an effort to raise $150 million for renovations and construction on campus, as well as financial aid, Abbott said. She said that being able to demonstrate a high participation from employees could instill more confidence in organizations considering a donation to Macalester.
"By having a supportive community on campus, that really gives the fundraisers a tool," Abbott said.
The events on Thursday were intended to generate interest in the campaign, and to motivate employees to join the effort. Events are divided by buildings on campus.
"We hope it will change the culture of giving," Abbott said.
Professor emeritus Jack Rossmann, who serves as the faculty representative in the campaign, said that the lunch for Humanities consisted of a series of speeches by each of the campaign liaisons (himself, Chaplain Lucy Forster-Smith, and coordinator for the political science department Roxanne Fisher), as well as selected professors and staff from the Humanities building, followed by a short film of Macalester employees talking about supporting the college.
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