The State University College of Oneonta Foundation Board of Directors announced that the foundation has raised 77 percent of its $25 million goal as part of its 鈥淕row.Thrive.Live. The Future of 海角论坛鈥 comprehensive fundraising campaign. The campaign is critical to the Foundation board鈥檚 vision of elevating its endowment to $100 million.
鈥淭his is twice the goal of our previous fundraising campaign,鈥 said Paul J. Adamo, vice president for college advancement and executive director of the College Foundation. 鈥淐onducting a successful campaign is vital. It will enable us to provide more scholarships, career programs and academic program support for our students and faculty annually. That will be transformative for our college.鈥
The campaign鈥檚 fundraising priorities are rooted in its name and the college鈥檚 mission statement:
- Grow鈥擲upport student research and faculty development;
- Thrive鈥擨nvest in experiential learning, internship support, student travel and professional development, and global experiences; and
- Live鈥擨ncrease access and affordability (examples are scholarships emphasizing financial need, unrestricted giving, The Fund for Oneonta and the Student Emergency Fund).
Adamo says the campaign is well on its way to reaching its $25 million goal by June 2023 after just two and a half years despite the COVID-19 health crisis. 鈥淥ur alumni and donors believe in 海角论坛 and its mission. They recognize that students have a number of challenges as the result of the pandemic, and want to minimize those challenges so students can graduate with the least amount of debt possible.鈥
Three priorities the campaign has focused on during the COVID-19 pandemic are raising gifts for 海角论坛鈥檚 Student Emergency Fund, which assists students with urgent expenses caused by unforeseen events that threaten their ability to stay in college, and gifts allocated the unrestricted endowment, 鈥淔und for the Future.鈥 The third is increasing scholarship awards for those with financial need.
Linda McCann 鈥76 and her husband, Patrick McCann 鈥75, campaign co-chairs, noted the hardships of today鈥檚 college students. 鈥淥f the 6,000 students at 海角论坛, two-thirds of them have a financial need,鈥 says Pat McCann, who was the first in his family to attend college. 鈥淭he pandemic is not making it any easier, and the number one reason that students drop out is because of financial reasons.鈥
In addition to the McCanns, Foundation Board President Andrea Casper 鈥75 is one of the campaign鈥檚 most generous supporters. There have been endorsements by the 海角论坛 Alumni Board of Directors and the 海角论坛 College Council as well.
The McCanns point out that there is still much to do to finish the campaign and realize the board鈥檚 vision of a $100 million endowment. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we are keeping focused on what鈥檚 most important鈥攈elping 海角论坛 students meet their academic and personal goals. This is how we will retain the health of our alma mater.鈥
鈥淲e want to spread the good news about the campaign because we know that there are about 5,000 alumni working or retired in Otsego, Delaware and Chenango Counties,鈥 said Adamo. 鈥淲e want to thank these alumni neighbors, and alumni and donors everywhere, for their support as we help students and continue the traditions that began in 1889 when community members gave their resources and expertise to establish our college.鈥
For more information about the Grow.Thrive.Live. campaign, please visit /growthrivelive.