Lyndon State College Nears Financial Goal
Lyndon State College Nears Financial Goal
SECOND CENTURY CAMPAIGN “OH, SO CLOSE.”
December 16, 2011
Lyndon’s ‘Second Century Campaign’ is nearing completion. The $10 million campaign is less than $200,000 from its goal. Bob Whittaker, dean of institutional advancement, said, “We are not aware of any other college within the Vermont State College system that has embarked on a comprehensive campaign at this level. We are near our ambitious goal and that’s a great thing. We are oh, so close.”
The end of the six-year long campaign comes as the College winds down year-long festivities commemorating its centennial year. The campaign looks forward to the “second century” of LSC. The campaign focuses on three broad objectives. Whittaker explains, “One is to strengthen and support our nationally competitive academic programs such as electronic journalism arts, meteorology, mountain recreation management, and exercise science. The second is to become a leader in serving first-in-family modest income students, and the third is to strengthen LSC’s position as an economic engine within the Northeast Kingdom.”
Some goals have already been met and implemented. These include the establishment of the “Early Promise Scholarship” which allows Northeast Kingdom students to discover their dream of college and the creation of 20 new endowments-bringing the total endowment to over $3 million. The College was able to establish the Leahy Center for Rural Students and the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship (CRE). The Leahy Center helps first-in-family and modest income students overcome barriers to attending college. The CRE is dedicated to local workforce preparedness and leveraging the skills of LSC’s faculty and staff to support regional businesses and nonprofit groups. Other tangible outcomes of the campaign on campus include the creation of the Robert Burnham Academic Support Center and the Carhartt Advising Resource Center, both of which reinforce Lyndon’s commitment to supporting every student and their academic needs. Numerous individuals, companies, and agencies have extended their support to the College through the campaign, such as AT&T, which has directed $75,000 toward the Vermont Center for Community Journalism (VCCJ). The VCCJ provides a real-world laboratory for journalism students through a variety of approaches such as its student-produced, award-winning News7 nightly newscast.
While the campaign has helped the College make some tremendous strides in supporting its students and the broader community, Whittaker notes there remain a number of projects for which Lyndon is still seeking support. “For instance, we would like to build an all-weather field for sports, expand our journalism lab, and fund more scholarships.” He added, “We see the campaign as a way for us to get the message out and we still think it is possible that we might attract gifts, grants, or pledges for those specific projects. With the help of our alumni, friends, and community, we can continue to make great things happen for our students and the region.”
If you are interested in learning more about Lyndon State’s Second Century Campaign, contact Bob Whittaker at 802-626-6427 or at Bob.Whittaker@lyndonstate.edu or visit lyndonstate.edu/anewview