Alumni giving exceeds goal, makes College history

Alumni giving exceeds goal, makes College history
  • Marguerite Hall Fox ’20, who turned 101 in March, once again wrote a check for this year’s annual fund.
  • Georgette Furukawa ’01 contributed for the first time through the senior-gift initiative.

Though 81 years separate their graduation ceremonies, both women hold Lewis & Clark in high esteem.

Fox earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and science from Albany College, the predecessor of Lewis & Clark College. She also met her husband, Otto Lee Fox ’20, at Albany when he borrowed one of her books. She went on to teach high school, to do psychiatric social work and to raise three children.

“I still feel close to the College,” Fox says. “I think we should recognize our College every year.”

Furukawa headed home to Hawaii after graduating in May. She plans to enter the University of Hawaii’s graduate program in information and computer sciences.

“Lewis & Clark not only taught me to think analytically but also to think objectively,” says Furukawa, who worked as an intern for the National Council of the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial during her senior year.

“I thought it was important to contribute to a fund that allows others to experience the rich intellectual and social life at Lewis & Clark.”

This year, more Lewis & Clark alumni gave to the annual fund than at any time in the history of the College.

“Nearly 34 percent of alumni participated in the annual fund. That figure is unprecedented,” says Jennifer Samuels, director of the annual fund. “It represents a 54 percent increase in alumni giving over the last two years.”

While alumni participation reached amazing heights this year, the level of financial commitment from all donors also climbed higher.

“For the first time ever, we achieved our dollar goal for the annual fund,” says Scott Staff, vice president for college relations. “We raised $1.45 million to support the annual fund.”

This year’s strong show of support from alumni garnered $40,000 from the Collins Foundation. The College received $30,000 for reaching the 30-percent participation goal set by the foundation and an additional $10,000 for increasing alumni participation by more than six percentage points from last year’s level.

Alumni rallied to a challenge from the Lewis & Clark Board of Trustees as well. Many alumni received a $5 check made out to the College and signed by Charles (Butch) Swindells ’64, former chair of the board. An outstanding 450 of them reciprocated by sending Swindells’ check back to Lewis & Clark along with individual gifts. Support also ran high for the trustees’ promise to match paid phonathon pledges on a 1-to-1 basis and to match online pledges on a 2-to-1 basis.

President Michael Mooney and the General Allocations Board of the Associated Students of Lewis & Clark College issued challenges to the senior-gift initiative, which students earmarked for scholarships. Rising to the occasion, 42 percent of seniors made contributions to the College this year. Sylvia Sissel ’95, director of development research and records, also matched the senior gifts with a gift of her own.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be part of this effort. We are making history at Lewis & Clark,” says Sissel. “Alumni participation in the annual fund is essential to the College, and there is no better time to learn that lesson than as a senior.”

The annual fund supports the College’s operating needs, including student financial aid; technology; research; maintenance of campus grounds; and programming in the arts, sciences, athletics and overseas study.