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Anonymous alumnus pledges $100,000 challenge grant
RELEASED: Feb. 12, 2004
DANVILLE, KY—An anonymous alumnus has pledged $100,000 to The College Centre project if 2,000 more alumni make a donation by the end of the annual giving campaign on June 30.
In addition to the potential support of the building project, this challenge is designed to propel Centre back to the No. 1 national ranking in annual alumni giving percentage.
The College has led the country in alumni giving percentage 15 of the past 20 years, but has fallen short the past two. Centre is currently in a tightly contested push to the finish with Amherst, Princeton, Williams and Davidson.
Using "Route 66" as the theme of this year's campaign, Centre is shooting for a goal of 66 percent alumni participation, which is likely to propel the College back to the top. Another 2,000 donors will help reach that mark.
"Every gift truly counts," says Richard Trollinger, vice president for college relations. "We're grateful to our loyal alumni for their determination to recapture the top ranking for alumni participation in annual giving. And this generous pledge will not only help us reach that goal, but also will help to ensure that The College Centre will be one of the finest academic and recreation facilities in the nation."
The College Centre project is the $22-million construction and renovation of Crounse Academic Center and Sutcliffe Hall that will create a state-of-the-art academic and recreation/athletic complex. It's to be completed in 2005.
Jamey Elliott '96, director of annual giving at Centre, says the College has a great shot at reclaiming the crown. Centre currently stands at 42 percent alumni participation at this point in the campaign.
"We're cautiously optimistic," he says. "We had a great first half to the campaign because of the terrific response from our alumni, but we need an even better second half to get back to the top. It's virtually impossible to overstate the impact that being No. 1 in annual giving has on the College as a whole, whether we're talking to a prospective student or the president of a foundation, to name just a couple of examples. We're eager to say 'We're No. 1' again and believe this challenge can help us do that."
Centre is the only school in the country that can make the claim of achieving greater than 60 percent alumni participation for the past 21 years.
To make a gift to Centre, visit http://gifts.centre.edu/, and for regular updates on Centre's progress toward the challenge go to http://flamerun.centre.edu/66challenge.html. For more on the College Centre, see http://www.centre.edu/cc/.
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