A More Perfect Centre to help College "raise the bar"

RELEASED: Jan. 30, 2004

DANVILLE, KY—Centre College launched its $120-million Campaign for A More Perfect Centre, the largest fund-raising effort in the College's 185-year history, at a special dinner at Churchill Downs on Jan. 30.

The four-year comprehensive campaign will help fund student scholarships, faculty support, a variety of new and expanded programs, upgraded technology, new and renovated buildings, and a significant increase in the size of the College's endowment. More than $70 million has already been committed during the leadership gift or "silent" phase of the campaign.

"The Campaign for A More Perfect Centre is about taking something that is already good and making it even better," says Centre President John Roush. "We've set an ambitious goal to help us raise the bar on the kind of education that outstanding young people have come to expect of Centre—a goal we're confident our alumni and friends will step forward and help us meet."

The $120-million goal of the campaign includes $35 million for student scholarships; $14 million for faculty support; and $8 million for the New Horizons Fund (including new programs, laboratory equipment and technology). This will add $57 million to the College's endowment. The campaign goal also includes $15 million for the Capital Improvements Fund (including The College Centre project—major additions and renovations to the College's primary academic and athletics/recreation facilities) and $8 million for current operations. This totals $80 million in outright gifts, while the remaining $40 million of the campaign goal is expected to be in deferred gifts to the College.

This is the largest comprehensive campaign in the history of the College. The Fund for The Future initiative raised $33 million in 1982, followed by the $39-million Campaign for Centre in 1989. The Front & Centre Campaign in 1997 set a goal of $60 million and eventually raised $76 million.

The new campaign was announced at the annual Centre Associates Dinner that honors the College's major donors. Adele and H.W. "Wes" Stodghill were posthumously recognized as Centre Associates of the Year. Centre will receive a gift of $20 million—the largest in the College's history—from the Stodghill estate. "This magnificent gift exceeds mere generosity," says Centre Vice President of College Relations Richard Trollinger. "It comes at just the right moment to help Centre launch this campaign, an effort that will take the College to the next level in service and national recognition."

Wes Stodghill, a 1936 graduate and a long-standing trustee of the College, was businessman in Louisville for many years.

The Campaign leadership includes honorary co-chairs James H. Evans, retired chair, Union Pacific Corporation, of New York; and Pierce Lively, retired judge, U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Judicial Circuit, of Danville. Randal B. Kell, president and CEO of the Mark Winkler Company in Arlington, Va., is the campaign chair. Vice chairs include James D. Rouse, Versailles; James M. Ratcliffe, Louisville; and Nelson D. Rodes, Danville. The chair of the Campaign Steering Committee is Robert T. Brockman, chair/CEO-Founder, Universal Computer Systems Inc., Houston, Texas. The chair of the Centre Board of Trustees is J. David Grissom, chair, Mayfair Capital, Louisville.

Centre will conduct a series of regional campaign events with groups of alumni and friends around the state and the country through the end of 2007.

Kentucky's highest ranked national institution, Centre is listed by U.S. News and World Report among the country's top 50 national liberal arts colleges and is the most affordable college in that group. Centre leads all colleges and universities in the percentage of alumni who give annual financial support over the past two decades.

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