SUNY Potsdam's Take the Lead Campaign Closes Fiscal Year with $29.2 Million

Take the Lead: The Campaign for Potsdam Reaches 91% of $32M Goal

POTSDAM, NY (07/07/2015)(readMedia)-- Take the Lead: The Campaign for Potsdam has had another exceptional year, raising more than $5.7 million in donations and commitments in 2014-15. This brings the total raised to more than $29.2 million in gifts and pledges for SUNY Potsdam, putting the Take the Lead Campaign at 91 percent of its overall goal, as of July 1, 2015.

Once again, giving has far exceeded aspirations, hitting 157 percent of the College's annual campaign goal. The campus announced its Third Century Challenge earlier this year, increasing the overall goal to $32 million by the College's bicentennial in 2016.

"SUNY Potsdam boasts some of the most loyal and generous alumni and friends, who continue to take the lead in every way," said Vice President for Advancement Vicki Templeton-Cornell. "Our donors are quite literally transforming the student experience at Potsdam, and we continue to be humbled by their unwavering support."

Since its public launch in April 2013, the campaign has gained momentum, and garnered exceptional support from alumni and friends -- including a total of 163 Leadership Donor gifts of $20,000 or more. So far, 51 donors have given at the Chancellor's Circle level of $100,000 or more for the campaign. Of those gifts, seven have exceeded the $1 million mark.

In the 2014-15 fiscal year, 13 new endowed scholarships were created, ranging from support for geology and community health majors, to interns and student leaders. Several of the new scholarships are also aimed at helping North Country students.

Additionally, 11 new endowed program funds were established and will provide resources for programs on campus, including the Rebecca V. Sheard Literacy Center, leadership training and mentoring programs, diversity efforts and the Community Performance Series, as well as programming in the new Performing Arts Center. This year, Potsdam also received a gift to establish its very first endowed position, the Joy (MacDonald) '58 & Richard Dorf Endowed Director for Applied Learning, which will help support experiential student opportunities, such as internships, international education and research.

Despite having the smallest enrollment of all 13 comprehensive colleges within SUNY, the Potsdam campus boasts some of the most loyal and generous graduates -- ranking third overall for alumni participation in giving. According to the most recent Voluntary Support of Education statistics, SUNY Potsdam ranks No. 23 in the nation among public master's-granting institutions for the percentage of alumni who give to their alma mater.

The strategic priorities of the Take the Lead Campaign are academic excellence, scholarships, student experiences, the arts and the Annual Fund for Potsdam.

Metropolitan Opera star Stephanie Blythe '92 and acclaimed bestselling novelist T.C. Boyle '68 are the Honorary Co-Chairs for the Take the Lead Campaign. Michael Galane '74, a senior director for the Hewlett-Packard Company, and famed lyric soprano Lisa Vroman '79 serve as National Co-Chairs. Rounding out the Campaign Steering Committee are: Lynne Boles '74, William Flynn '70, Deborah Diefendorf Hind '75, Gary Hind '77, Janice Rowlands Johnson '56, Christine Meda '70 and J. Richard Munro.

For more information about Take the Lead: The Campaign for Potsdam, visit www.potsdam.edu/campaign.

Founded in 1816, and located on the outskirts of the beautiful Adirondack Park, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America's first 50 colleges. SUNY Potsdam currently enrolls approximately 4,300 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its handcrafted education, challenging liberal arts and sciences core, excellence in teacher training and leadership in the performing and visual arts. Empowered by a culture of creativity, the campus community recently launched Take the Lead: The Campaign for Potsdam, which aims to raise $32 million by the College's bicentennial in 2016.

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