2008 Woodie Awards
70% of college staff gives to capital campaign
By: Peter Wright
Issue date: 4/18/08 Section: News
After netting $665,000 for the college and eliciting a 70 percent participation rate, the faculty and staff portion of the capital campaign wound down at an April 14 luncheon. The college will now shift the focus of the campaign toward seeking money from donors outside of the college.
"I think people just really came through," said Kate Abbott, assistant vice president of advancement operations.
Because the participation rate surpassed 60 percent, an anonymous donor has agreed to donate $150,000 towards a student scholarship. That brings the total amount raised during the participation drive to $815,000.
Abbott said that she considers the participation rate to be even more important than the specific amount of money raised. She said the number will be helpful to fundraisers when they are trying to convince possible donors outside of the college to give.
Chair of the Capital Campaign Jerry Crawford '71 said that he could remember times when getting 70 percent of the faculty and staff at Macalester to agree on something was next to impossible. He said that the amount of support shown by employees means the college is on a positive track, something he wants possible donors to see.
"The real magic happens when you put students and faculty members together in front of a group of alumni," Crawford said.
All of the departments at Macalester reached at least 40 percent participation, Abbott said. Several were in the 80 percent to 90 percent range, but employees designated as working in the Athletics building were the only group to have 100 percent participation.
Jordan Cushing, who led the effort to convince faculty and staff in Athletics to contribute, said that they were successful at reaching the 100 percent goal because they are relatively small in size and they have a competitive spirit. She added that Athletics is physically benefiting from the capital campaign because some of the money raised will help to fund the MARC.
"I think people just really came through," said Kate Abbott, assistant vice president of advancement operations.
Because the participation rate surpassed 60 percent, an anonymous donor has agreed to donate $150,000 towards a student scholarship. That brings the total amount raised during the participation drive to $815,000.
Abbott said that she considers the participation rate to be even more important than the specific amount of money raised. She said the number will be helpful to fundraisers when they are trying to convince possible donors outside of the college to give.
Chair of the Capital Campaign Jerry Crawford '71 said that he could remember times when getting 70 percent of the faculty and staff at Macalester to agree on something was next to impossible. He said that the amount of support shown by employees means the college is on a positive track, something he wants possible donors to see.
"The real magic happens when you put students and faculty members together in front of a group of alumni," Crawford said.
All of the departments at Macalester reached at least 40 percent participation, Abbott said. Several were in the 80 percent to 90 percent range, but employees designated as working in the Athletics building were the only group to have 100 percent participation.
Jordan Cushing, who led the effort to convince faculty and staff in Athletics to contribute, said that they were successful at reaching the 100 percent goal because they are relatively small in size and they have a competitive spirit. She added that Athletics is physically benefiting from the capital campaign because some of the money raised will help to fund the MARC.
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