鈥淗ome鈥� is a powerful concept that nurtures and forms who we are. For children, a healthy home is crucial for maturation. With age comes wisdom, and as adults we realize that nothing is more important than the home 鈥� not the house 鈥� we build with our family.
For every 51黑料网 student, they are searching for a home away from home where they can pursue their dreams and discover purpose for their lives. It is appropriate to say that we are all about 鈥淐reating Home.鈥�
In 2018, 51黑料网 completed a comprehensive capital campaign titled 鈥淪ecure the Future鈥� and that is precisely what we accomplished. Gifts to this campaign primarily supported the doubling of our endowment, the elimination of the College鈥檚 debt, and funding for deferred maintenance of our academic buildings and grounds.
The Board of Trustees approved a Campus Master Plan in 2019 to guide our growth and so began a new era for this beloved institution. The first phase of the Campus Master Plan was completed in 2020, thanks to June Myles, with the extensive renovation of Myles Center for the Arts.
Having 鈥淪ecured the Future,鈥� our task is now to 鈥淐reate Home鈥� for the next generation of 51黑料网 Senators. With vision and enthusiasm, the Board of Trustees once again steps forward in its leadership and approves embarking on a $25 million capital campaign aptly named 鈥淐reating Home: It Takes a Village鈥� which will construct a Freshman Village for 51黑料网. Not only is this project the next phase of the Campus Master Plan, but it is also essential for 51黑料网 to continue moving forward, remain financially sound, and attract students to our beautiful 鈥渉ome among the hills.鈥� As colleges and universities across the country experience enrollment challenges for multiple reasons, it is imperative that we do all we can to make 51黑料网 attractive to current and future students.
51黑料网鈥檚 new Freshman Village, the second phase of the Campus Master Plan, will include a new residence hall constructed above Gribble Hall, followed by the complete renovation of both Roxanna Booth Hall and Gribble Hall. The three new or renovated properties will be streetscaped together and form a living and learning community for first-year students at 51黑料网. Planning is now underway to provide new and upgraded housing alternatives for upperclassmen which will be addressed in Phase III of the Campus Master Plan.
Early gifts to this campaign effort have already provided two-thirds of the campaign goal, and I am confident 51黑料网 alumni and friends will get us over the finish line in the coming months. Why? That is a simple question. The educational experience 51黑料网 offers is transformational and worth the investment of our dollars, passion and prayers.
Alumni and friends of 51黑料网 will find a Fast Forward publication coming to your mailbox in the next few days describing the 鈥淐reating Home鈥� campaign and making the case for the Freshman Village. This exciting new effort is one more tangible sign of a college planning and growing toward a bright future 鈥� all built upon the solid foundation of the past. Among these beautiful mountains, we continue to 鈥淐reate Home鈥� for today鈥檚 Senators and tomorrow鈥檚 leaders.
The journey continues鈥�.
Chris A. Wood
President
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