$103.4 Million: Washington College Completes Largest Capital Campaign Of Any Undergraduate College In Maryland

Campaign's Success Highlights Accomplishments of Dr. John Toll's Tenure as President

Chestertown, MD, January 8, 2004 — Washington College's Board of Visitors and Governors announced today the conclusion of the largest capital campaign in the College's 222-year history—and the single largest fund raising campaign ever conducted by any Maryland undergraduate college. With an original campaign goal of $72 million announced in 1998, the Campaign for Washington's College surpassed its original target by nearly 44 percent, with total contributions of $103.4 million as of December 31, 2003. Among all Maryland institutions of higher learning, only Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland System have raised more money in a single capital campaign. Washington College enrolls 1,450 students from 35 states and 36 countries.

“On behalf of the entire Washington College community, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has contributed to the success of this campaign,” said Jay Griswold, Chair of the College's Board of Visitors and Governors and Director of Brown Investment Advisory and Trust Company of Baltimore. “Despite the economic downturn of the past few years and the challenges of these uncertain times, we have seen an amazing amount of generosity by our alumni, by foundations, and by individuals who believe deeply and passionately in the distinctive education that Washington College provides.”

Campaign support came from numerous alumni who collectively contributed more than $11 million, as well as 15 donors who gave $1 million or more, 105 contributors of $100,000 or more, $5 million from The Starr Foundation of New York, and the constant support of The Hodson Trust, which provided various grants and a pledge to match all contributions to the endowment of $100,000 or more. Drawing grants from many corporations and foundations in the Mid-Atlantic region, the campaign was also supported by distinguished national foundations, including The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The W. K. Kellogg Foundation, and The Henry Luce Foundation.

“The breadth of support for Washington College was outstanding, and the number of national sources who contributed to our campaign is a real compliment to our institution,” Griswold added.

“The founding of Washington College in 1782 as the first college chartered after the Declaration of Independence was an act of courageous optimism for a nation whose destiny was still uncertain,” said John S. Toll, President of the College. “What we have witnessed through our campaign is that same vision. Our founders William Smith and George Washington, with the help of many supporters, launched Washington College because they believed fervently that education was the bulwark on which freedom, opportunity and justice must rest if they are to be perpetuated. Today's benefactors, like our founders, are bold optimists whose generosity will go a long way to help us lift Washington College to new levels of distinction and service.”

The campaign's successful conclusion represents one of the highlights of Dr. Toll's nine-year tenure as president. The former chancellor and president of the University of Maryland System and professor of physics, Dr. Toll arrived at Washington College in January 1995 and will step down as president at the conclusion of this academic year.

Funds raised by the Campaign for Washington's College are supporting a range of initiatives as part of the College's strategic plan, including new faculty chairs and professorships, technology enhancements, two new academic research and outreach centers—the Center for Environment and Society and the C. V. Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience—and new and expanded academic programs in archaeology, Asian studies, computer science, and earth and planetary science. In addition, the Campaign is helping to improve and expand campus infrastructure: Louis L. Goldstein Hall was dedicated in 2000 and a new 45,000-square-foot Science Center is slated for completion in Fall 2004. Many other facilities, including William Smith Hall, were renovated.

Founded in 1782 under the patronage of George Washington, Washington College is a private, independent college of liberal arts and sciences located in historic Chestertown on Maryland's Eastern Shore.

$22 Million Ahead Of Goal, Washington College's Five-Year Capital Campaign Tops $94 Million

Chestertown, MD, November 17, 2003 — With just six weeks remaining until the conclusion of the Campaign for Washington's College, more than $94.2 million has been tallied against an original five-year goal of $72 million and is fueling the unprecedented growth of the 221-year-old institution's academic offerings, scholarship programs and facilities.

Recent Campaign successes include $610,000 raised by the Joseph H. McLain Memorial Committee to name the three-story atrium in the new Science Center now under construction, and a bequest of $180,000 from the late alumna Estelle Wesley '37, according to Bill MacIntosh, Vice President for Development and Alumni and Parent Relations. Funds available for the new Science Center from private, governmental and institutional sources now stand at $17 million. Other gifts include contributions to the newly created John S. Toll Society, honoring donors who have pledged to help steer the course set by President Toll with continued support for this year and the following two years.

Under the leadership of Milestone Council Chair Thomas H. Gale, a trustee of the College, members of the Board of Visitors and Governors have responded to a special challenge from Gale and his wife, Barbara, by increasing their gifts to the Campaign 32 percent over the level of their initial commitments. Total gifts from the Board now stand at $26.5 million. A new Gale Challenge pledging a dollar-for-dollar match up to $300,000 by December 31, 2003, has been issued to members of the College's Board, the Milestone Council and former trustees.

Included in the latest fundraising totals are a number of special private and government grants for specific academic projects. Prestigious sources such as the Maryland Historical Trust and the National Science Foundation are supporting projects ranging from the College's archaeology program to faculty-student research on fish behavior.

Construction Underway On New Science Center

45,000-Square-Foot Facility to Double the Size of the College's Science Complex

Chestertown, MD, July 21, 2003 — Washington College has broken ground on a new $19 million Science Center to meet the demands of a steadily increasing number of science majors. Construction began in early June with the demolition of the Litrenta Lecture Hall wing on Dunning Hall and the rerouting of utilities to prepare the foundation. The new 45,000-square-foot building will double the size of the College's science teaching and research complex. Renovations to the existing Dunning-Decker Science Complex will be finished after the completion of the new science building, completing the total modernization of the College's science facilities.
“Our new Science Center has been designed to provide a lab-rich environment for supporting new and evolving models for teaching the sciences to undergraduates,” said Dr. John Toll, President Emeritus of Washington College, noting the College's dedication to an engaged, hands-on approach of collaborative research between students and professors.
While total student enrollment at Washington College has grown from 789 in 1986-87 to 1362 in 2002-03, the number of science majors has tripled in the same period. To meet the needs of these students, the new Science Center and the renovated Dunning-Decker Science Complex will provide cutting-edge laboratories for teaching and research in the natural and behavioral sciences, as well as in mathematics and computer science. The goal, Dr. Toll added, is to provide adequate space for both experiential learning and for faculty research. The new facility will have teaching laboratories, research laboratories and laboratory support space. For classroom space, a new trend in science facilities will be followed: small-group instruction rooms equipped with mobile “white boards.” For reasons of safety and security, renovations will include an automated card access security system for labs, stores and supplies. The new and renovated buildings will meet all current requirements for Life Safety and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
This new construction and renovation is the largest capital project in the history of Washington College. The Maryland General Assembly appropriated $2,575,000 in 2002 and private fundraising has brought in additional monies, including $2.7 million from the College's Board of Visitors and Governors and $531,000 raised toward a $1-million goal to name the three-story glass atrium connecting the Science Center with the Dunning-Decker Science Complex in honor of the late chemistry professor and Washington College President Joseph H. McLain.
In addition to these gifts and support from reunion classes, other major funding has come from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, $200,000 from Whiting-Turner Contracting, $100,000 from Roy Ans, Class of 1963, $100,000 from the late Ivon Culver, Class of 1935, and $100,000 from the George I. Alden Trust. Also, the College has received a grant of $48,300 from the National Science Foundation to outfit an aquaculture lab to study fish acoustic behavior, a research specialization for Washington College biology professor Martin Connaughton.
Washington College currently offers bachelor of science degrees in biology and biochemistry, chemistry, physics and psychology/behavioral neuroscience; a minor in earth and planetary science; and special courses of study in engineering, environmental studies, nursing, pharmacy science and premed.
Fundraising for the new Science Center is ongoing with opportunities available to sponsor and to name department research suites, teaching and research laboratories, seminar and classrooms, and faculty offices. For more information, contact the Washington College Office of Development and Parent and Alumni Relations at 410-778-7801.

Arthur Vining Davis Gift Pushes Campaign To $92 Million

Washington College Now $20 Million Ahead of Original Goal

Chestertown, MD, July 16, 2003 — Year-end giving coupled with a $200,000 grant from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations of Jacksonville, FL, have pushed the Campaign for Washington College to nearly $92 million. With six months remaining, the Campaign is $20 million ahead of the College's original five-year, $72 million campaign goal.
The $200,000 grant from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations is designated for the new $19 million, 45,000-square-foot campus Science Center currently under construction. Other recent major gifts include $200,000 from the estate of the late Maureen Jacoby, former managing editor of the College's Literary House Press, for internships and scholarships; $50,000 from The Clayton Fund of Houston, TX, for scholarships; and more than $531,000 raised in honor of the late Washington College President Joseph H. McLain for whom the three-story glass atrium in the new Science Center will be named.
“We are very pleased with our progress in the final leg of the Campaign,” said College Trustee Thomas H. Gale, Chair of the Milestone Council, a group charged with taking the Campaign as far as it can go by the end by its completion date of December 31, 2003. “We have the momentum to take this drive, the most successful in the history of the College, to even greater heights with the support of our many alumni, parents and friends.”
Monies raised by the Campaign are specifically dedicated to faculty, campus enhancements, academic programs and scholarships. Since the beginning of the Campaign in September 1998, 15 donors have given $1 million or more to the fund drive, and 105 contributors each have given $100,000 or more.
“The support and goodwill extended to this College has been tremendous,” said Bill MacIntosh, Vice President for Development and Alumni Affairs. “More than 11,000 donors have given to the campaign. At an institution our size, each gift, no matter the amount, makes a big impact on individual students' educations and the future directions of their lives.”

Washington College Capital Campaign Poised To Surpass $90 Million

Chestertown, MD, February 27, 2003 — The Campaign for Washington College is close to surpassing $90 million in total funds raised, and has reached $89.2 million as of March 1, 2003—over $17 million raised above the original five-year $72 million goal. With 10 months remaining in the fund drive, the Campaign will continue to raise all it can by its slated completion on December 31, 2003.

The Campaign's recent fundraising successes have been spearheaded by the College's Milestone Council, a group of 22 alumni, trustees and other College supporters convened last fall and chaired by College trustee Thomas H. Gale of Centreville, MD. The Milestone Council has been instrumental in securing several major gifts that push the Campaign closer to the $90 million mark. Significant recent support includes $1.7 million from The Hodson Trust; $500,000 from two anonymous individuals and $300,000 from the Davenport Family Foundation for the College's new science center; $200,000 from The Starr Foundation for scholarships; $100,000 from an anonymous foundation for Geographic Information Systems equipment in the Center for the Environment and Society; and $100,000 from the Thomas H. and Barbara W. Gale Foundation. The College also recently received a $50,000 grant from the Carnegie Corporation for teacher education programs conducted by the Center for the Environment and Society in conjunction with the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center.

One of the top priorities of the Campaign's Milestone Council during the coming months is funding $19 million for the planned 45,000-square-foot new science center and for renovations to the existing science buildings. In addition to the gifts above, more than $365,000 has been raised for the new building through the work of the Joseph H. McLain Memorial Committee, chaired by former Washington College chemistry professor and alumnus John Conkling '65. The McLain Committee hopes to raise $1 million to name the three-story, glass atrium in the new science center.

One Million Dollar Anonymous Challenge Grant Pushes Washington College Capital Campaign Over $84 Million

Chestertown, MD, October 8, 2002 — A $1 million anonymous challenge grant and a gift of $300,000 from Board Trustee Daryl Swanstrom for the new science center, coupled with fiscal-year-end gifts totaling more than $1.3 million and a bequest of $700,000 from the late William Matthews of Boca Raton, FL, have pushed the total funds raised by the Campaign for Washington's College to more than $84.5 million. Surpassing its original $72 million, five-year goal, the Campaign will continue to raise all it can by its original completion date of December 31, 2003.
Other recent significant gifts include $100,000 from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation for the Rural Communities Leadership Program, to be organized and conducted by the Washington College Center for the Environment and Society. This is the first time the College has received support from this distinguished national funding source.
“The College's capital campaign has had tremendous momentum, carrying us well beyond our expected goals,” said Jack Griswold, Chair of the Campaign for Washington's College. “Our newly convened Milestone Council, a distinguished group of 22 alumni, trustees and other College supporters chaired by College trustee Thomas H. Gale, will keep this momentum going and will work hard to push the Campaign forward in the coming year.”

Miller Library Receives Large Collection Of Books On Medieval And Renaissance Literature And Culture

Chestertown, MD, October 3, 2002 — Washington College's Clifton M. Miller Library is pleased to announce that it has received an extraordinary collection of books on Medieval and Renaissance literature and culture courtesy of Dr. Werner Gundersheimer, former director of the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC. The gift represents a significant addition to the Miller Library's collection.
The 985 volumes, from Dr. Gundersheimer's private research library, are now being sorted and cataloged to be added to the library's stacks, said William Tubbs, College Librarian. He credits former Washington College dean Dr. Barbara Mowat, Director of Academic Programs at the Folger Library, and Professor Colin Dickson with helping to secure this collection for the College.
“We are very honored to be the recipient of this gift, and it will greatly add to our resources,” Tubbs said. “Our faculty and students studying history, philosophy, art, sociology and political science will benefit from the depth and breadth of this collection of books.”
As a noted scholar of early modern French and Italian history, Dr. Gundersheimer hopes to pass on his appreciation of Medieval and Renaissance culture to generations of students in the liberal arts and sciences.
“I went to a liberal arts college, and so did my wife and two sons. I chose Washington College to receive this collection because it is one of the historic representatives of liberal education in our region, and because its collecting needs and my books seemed like a good match,” said Dr. Gundersheimer, who directed the Capitol Hill-based Folger Library from 1984 to 2002. A graduate of Amherst College, Dr. Gundersheimer earned his M.A. and Ph.D degrees at Harvard University, and taught at several universities. Before joining the Folger, he was Chairman of the Department of History and Director of the Center for Italian Studies at the University of Pennsylvania.
“I believe in the value of a liberal education, as preparation for a life of personal and intellectual growth, and as the basis of an informed, independent-minded citizenry,” he said. “Early modern Europe, which is the central focus of my library, holds the beginnings of our modern society in almost every area. As an historian, I maintain that you cannot really know who you are without understanding where you came from; and for Americans, that means knowing something about medieval and early modern Europe.”

Campaign Exceeds $72 Million Goal Two Years Ahead of Schedule

Chestertown, MD, January 17, 2002 — Several major gifts and grants and two special fundraising efforts have pushed the Campaign for Washington's College beyond its $72 million goal to more than $74 million, just three years into the five-year campaign. Recent major gifts include $2.6 million from The Hodson Trust earmarked for the Hodson Challenge, $300,000 from Robert Thawley '43 for academic programs, and $100,000 pledged by Thomas H. Maddux. In addition, the Hodson Challenge is matching other recent gifts to endowment including, as follows: $250,000 from Jennifer and Ted Stanley and $100,000 from Jim and Dessie Moxley for the Center for Environment and Society, $200,000 from The Starr Foundation and $100,000 from the Seraph Foundation for scholarships, $407,000 from a group of donors to endow the men's and women's lacrosse program, and $105,000 from friends of the late Constance Stuart Larrabee to create an endowed scholarship in her name.

In addition, the final distribution of the Irma S. Heck Trust pushed the endowment fund for the Leroy Savin Heck '25 Scholarship to $433,000; this gift will also be matched by The Hodson Trust.

Nearly $9 million has now been raised in response to the Hodson Challenge. We are especially pleased that Hodson Trust Chairman Finn M.W. Caspersen has approved an extension of the Hodson Challenge from $10 million to $15 million. This special challenge has provided an important catalyst to donors who have welcomed the opportunity to double their dollars while providing for the long-term financial health of the College.

Addressing one of President John Toll's top priorities, the George I. Alden Trust issued a 3:1 challenge grant of $100,000 for the construction of a new addition to the Dunning-Decker Science Center. Dr. Ralph Snyderman '61 made the first gift, $102,000, in honor of his parents, in response to the Alden Trust challenge.

Plans are underway for a gala milestone celebration on Saturday, May 18.

Hodson Trust Awards $2.5 Million to Washington College

Baltimore, MD, December 13, 2001 — Washington College yesterday was awarded $2.4 million from The Hodson Trust, a charity established by the family of Colonel Clarence Hodson, founder of the Beneficial Corporation financial services firm. The award will be targeted toward scholarships, student internships, faculty chairs, endowments, research and large construction projects.

"Washington College has flourished as a result of The Hodson Trust's steadfast support of Maryland's private, independent colleges," said John S. Toll, President of Washington College. "We are grateful for the Trust's special commitment to higher education in the state."

Since 1920, The Hodson Trust has given over $110 million to fund academic merit scholarships as well as research grants, technology improvements, building construction, library expansion, athletic programs, faculty salaries and endowment funds at Johns Hopkins University, and Hood, St. John's and Washington colleges.

The Trust also has supported the efforts of the Campaign for Washington's College—the College's five-year, $72 million capital fundraising campaign launched in September 1999—by designing a challenge program that matches gifts to endowments of $100,000 or more, doubling the value of the contributions. Since 1999, nearly $9 million has now been raised in response to the Hodson Challenge, and Hodson Trust Chairman Finn M.W. Caspersen has approved an extension of the Challenge from $10 million to a total $15 million, an important catalyst to donors who welcome the opportunity to double their dollars while providing for the long-term financial health of the College.

"The Trust has leveraged our success in recruiting good students and in attracting and retaining gifted professors," added Toll. "We thank Finn Caspersen for his enthusiasm to extend the benefits of this challenge program."

For information on The Hodson Trust, visit www.hodsontrust.com.

Washington College Campaign Reaches $70.5 Million

Chestertown, MD, October 18, 2001 — Three bequests combined with many fiscal year-end gifts have pushed the Campaign for Washington's College to $70.5 million just three years into a five-year, $72 million drive, according to Campaign Chair Jack S. Griswold. The estate of the late Eleanor Gross of Baltimore is expected to provide more than $400,000. The estate of Nancy Gordon Nicewarner '51 of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is expected to generate $100,000. The late Mary Louise Moore '35 of Cheswold, Delaware bequeathed $100,000 to the College.

The renovated Custom House, home of the C.V. Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience and the Center for Environment and Society, will be formally dedicated on October 30. An important part of the Campaign and the future of the College, the two centers have attracted more than $10.2 million for faculty chairs, endowment, and program support. To date, the C.V. Starr Center has drawn $7 million; the Center for Environment and Society has attracted $4.2 million.

In September, the Baltimore Cabinet, co-chaired by Craig Lewis and Doug Hoffberger '94, celebrated the success of its regional effort with a party at the home of Robert C. "Bo" Lewis '79, Craig's son, on September 15. The Baltimore effort raised more than $7.6 million against a $6.5 million goal. A similar effort in the Greater Washington Region has also exceeded its $5 million goal and a celebration is in the planning stages.

The Development Office fully expects to meet and exceed the Campaign's $72 million goal by the end of this calendar year. The Board of Visitors and Governors will meet on November 1 and 3 to discuss future goals. The Development Office wishes to extend its gratitude to all who have contributed to the impressive success to date.

Lammot duPont Copeland Professorship, Goldstein Hall Push College Campaign Beyond $66 Million

Chestertown, MD, May 16, 2001 — Washington College has received a bequest from Pamela Cunningham Copeland, coupled with a gift from her daughter, Louisa Copeland Duemling, to provide $500,000 for the establishment of the Lammot duPont Copeland Professorship at theCenter for the Environment and Society, pushing the Campaign for Washington's Collegebeyond $66 million. The gift was matched by The Hodson Trust Challenge that doubles all endowments of $100,000 or more. Dr. Wayne Bell, director of the new Center, will be named the first Lammot duPont Copeland Professor at the College.

Private support for Louis L. Goldstein Hall topped $2 million in April 2001, completing a public/private partnership that included $2 million in matching funds from the State of Maryland. Maryland Governor Parris Glendening delivered the keynote address before a dinner of donors of $1,000 or more to the project on April 20, 2001 at the College. Recent major gifts pushing fundraising for Goldstein Hall past the $2 million mark included $125,000 from Washington College parents, $150,000 from the Booth Ferris Foundation, and $500,000, allocated from an earlier $1 million grant from the Grayce B. Kerr Fund.

"We owe a special thanks for these tremendous gifts to the College," said Jack Griswold, chair of the Campaign for Washington's College. "In addition, the Campaign acknowledges the annual gifts from alumni, parents, and friends which have increased by $500,000. To date this fiscal year, more than $1.4 million has come from these sources in support of the Washington College Fund, and we are grateful to all who are participating."