Samuel Casey
Staff Writer
In 2013, Wooster’s Promise: A Campaign for Our Future kicked off with a $15 million donation from Ruth W. Williams and A. Morris Williams, Jr. for the support of science education. On Oct. 27, while the Board of Trustees was on campus, the campaign came full-circle with the dedication of the Ruth W. Williams Hall of Life Science amidst a celebration for Wooster’s Promise, which concluded over the summer.
Wooster’s Promise, the largest fundraising campaign in the College’s history, focused its support on five major priorities: the life sciences, financial aid, academic strength, experimental education and The Wooster Fund. The original goal of $165 million was surpassed by 15 percent with the help of 5,790 first-time donors and the participation of over 42 percent of Wooster alumni.
Wayne Webster, vice president for Advancement, spoke to the nature of fundraising campaigns and how Wooster’s Promise got started. “Campaigns are meant to provide the funds to make strategic plans [for the College] a reality,” Webster said. “[Strategic plans] are where the priorities are identified through conve sations with the Board and external constituents.”
Rebecca Schmidt, director of Donor Communications & Stewardship/Development, emphasized that these conversations are where Wooster’s Promise originated. “These were extensive conversations we had with members of the staff, faculty, students, the Board and alumni. It was a lengthy conversation, so we could get everyone’s priority list,” said Schmidt.
During and following the strategic planning, Webster discussed that there is a “leadership phase” where the people associated with the College reach out to possible donors and engage with them about the priorities in a way that could promote philanthropy. After that there is a public phase where Wooster’s Promise is extensively advertised. “By the time the campaign went public in April 2017, we were at $150 million of the $165 million goal,” Webster said. “So the bulk of campaign gifts come from our closest friends early in the process.”
Webster added that Wooster’s Promise directly affects students and is important for the future of the College. “Generally, it provides the resources to really help us be innovative and continue to be accessible for students,” he said. “We continue to think about how we can be affordable and accessible to students regardless of their backgrounds.”
President Sarah Bolton stated in Wooster magazine that the campaign will have a great impact on the College and students. She said this includes 71 new scholarships for students to attend the College regardless of family means, three new professorships, Williams Hall, Brush Hall and the Alley.
“We are incredibly fortunate to have people who are willing to give so generously so that students can live and learn at Wooster and prepare for life after graduation,” Bolton accentuated.
Both Webster and Schmidt said that even though the campaign is over, the College will still be committed to the five priorities as the campaign’s title implies. “Whether it’s the future or our future, Wooster’s Promise is not an end but a beginning,” Schmidt articulated.