Spring 2002
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Spring 2002 |
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Even though the success of the Vision to be the Best campaign has created unprecedented improvements at Rose-Hulman, there remains a need for increased financial support if the institute is to fully benefit from the momentum created by the successes of the past few years. Those challenges include updating laboratory equipment to take advantage of rapidly changing technologies. The college's ability to recruit the nation's brightest high-school seniors is made more difficult by competing colleges and universities who offer deserving students more financial aid than Rose-Hulman can provide. The success of the fundraising campaign has helped to address those challenges, but the need for resources to offer an outstanding undergraduate engineering and science education is increasing. The $200 million Vision to be the Best campaign goal will be surpassed. As of Feb. 1, cash, deferred gifts and pledges have increased to $194 million, reported Mark Richter, vice president for development and external affairs. “Originally, the campaign had a goal of $100 million. When the goal was reached at the five-year midpoint of the campaign, the Board of Trustees saw an opportunity to continue the journey toward being the best and increased the goal to its current level,” he explained. "The campaign will remain open and active until 2004 and I have every reason to believe that the generous alumni and friends of Rose-Hulman will push the final total beyond the goal." President Samuel Hulbert noted that even though the campaign goal is in sight, there are strategic needs that remain under funded. "We haven't reached our goals for financial aid, new laboratory equipment, endowment growth and endowed professorships to retain and recruit the very best teachers. "Continuous improvements to our educational environment are linked to our success at raising additional funds," Hulbert emphasized. "We're ending the seventh year of the campaign. The dreams and innovative ideas of our faculty and students are more ambitious than in 1995 when the campaign was launched. We are challenged to provide them with the financial resources so those dreams can become reality." Support to the campaign has enabled faculty and students to utilize new project-oriented laboratories in the Myers Center for Technological Research with Industry, and the Olin Advanced Learning Center provides faculty with new classroom technologies. Students receive more career-related experience working for clients at Rose-Hulman Ventures. A new residence hall, Sports and Recreation Center, White Chapel, Oakley Observatory, renovated Hulman Union and soon-to-be completed Hatfield Hall have enhanced the campus.
A total of 3,089 alumni (32 percent) have shown their
Rose-Hulman spirit by supporting the Annual Fund so far this year.
Rose-Hulman alumni are banding together through the Alumni Class Scholar Program to help students realize their educational dreams. The Alumni Class Scholar Program was established in 2000 by the Rose-Hulman Alumni Advisory Board in an effort to address the growing need for more student financial aid. The goal of the program is for each class to establish an endowed scholarship of $50,000 or greater over the next five years. "Putting resources in place for financial aid is at the top of our list," explained Mark Richter, vice president for development and external affairs. "It goes to the heart of our mission. We want to make sure that every student who dreams of attending Rose-Hulman and meets our requirements for admission can access the financial resources necessary to make this happen. Clearly, the Alumni Class Scholar Program can play a significant role in helping deserving students attend Rose-Hulman." Over the next three years, scholarships will continue to roll out as classes celebrate their reunion years. The goal is to have the scholarships fully funded within five years of inception. Ten new scholarship funds were created this fall as several classes began contributing to their own class scholarship. In all, 25 classes are involved in making the cost of a college education less of a hardship for many students. Funding a scholarship can be easy if alumni actively support this effort. For example, if 250 alumni from a class each contributed $40 a year over five years, the entire scholarship would be funded, said Karen O'Rourke, director of annual giving. "The truth is that getting a good education is expensive. The Alumni Class Scholar Program is a chance for alumni to make a real difference in the lives of future engineers, mathematicians and scientists, as well as an opportunity for classmates to work together to leave a lasting impression on generations to come." Individual class funds will begin making awards once the funds reach the $50,000 endowment level. Classes making awards will be recognized for their achievements. For more information, contact O'Rourke at 812-877-8159 or via email at karen.orourke@rose-hulman.edu.
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