Milestone: $80 Million And Climbing, Washington College Campaign Surpasses Fundraising Goals

Chestertown, MD, April 30, 2002 — Washington College's capital campaign has surpassed its original five-year $72 million goal and reached nearly $80 million. With almost two years left in the Campaign for Washington's College, the College intends to push on to its planned December 2003 completion, raising as much as possible prior to that date.

"With just two months remaining in the fiscal year, the College has surpassed funds raised last year for all purposes by $4 million, giving us confidence that the momentum of the Campaign will continue to produce record funding levels," said Jack Griswold, Chairman of the College's Board of Visitors and Governors and Chair of the Campaign. "Exceeding all expectations, even in uncertain financial times, the Campaign is enriching academic programs, strengthening the faculty, providing scholarships, and enhancing campus facilities."

Recent major gifts include a grant of $2.5 million from the State of Maryland for a new science building; a $2.4 million distribution from The Hodson Trust and $100,000 from the Clark Charitable Foundation, both for scholarships; and $525,237 from the estate of College alumnus, the late W. Kennon Perrin '31. This final distribution brings Colonel Perrin's total bequest to $5 million. Within the last month, the College also received $200,000 from Willard Hackerman of Whiting-Turner Contracting Company and $100,000 from alumnus Dr. Roy Ans '63 for the new science building with construction expected to begin in the next academic year. The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation also awarded $123,000 for the College's Center for Environment and Society.

To mark the success of the Campaign to date, the College will host a Milestone Celebration on May 18, 2002, for all donors to the Campaign at the 1782 Society $1,200 level and above, as well as descendants of the original subscribers to the first canvass that raised 10,000 pounds to launch the College in 1782. Actor Larry Hagman, whose family established the Mary Martin Drama Scholarship at Washington College in honor of his late mother, will attend the party and receive an honorary degree during the College's 220th Commencement on Sunday, May 19.