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ATLANTA, GA— Spelman College today announced that it has exceeded its comprehensive fundraising campaign goal, generating $157.8 million. This is the largest amount raised in the history of the institution. The campaign attracted support for scholarships, academic initiatives, and campus renewal. A record-breaking 12,000, representing 71% of alumnae, made a gift to the campaign.
“When we launched the campaign, we were focused on strengthening the institution’s healthy foundation through increased scholarship support for students, strategic investment in our faculty and academic programs, and capital improvements on our campus. It is very gratifying to have met all of these objectives while exceeding our campaign goal,” says President Beverly Daniel Tatum.
Over the course of the 10-year campaign, scholarship support for Spelman students has tripled, and opportunities for faculty research and development have expanded significantly. The Gordon-Zeto Center for International Education was created with a gift of $17 million, increasing opportunities for student and faculty travel, and providing financial aid for international students. Other highlights include the creation of a signature social justice fellows program, and funding to build a state-of-the-art wellness facility. “From campus expansion and significantly increased housing capacity to dramatic growth in annual alumnae support and a campus-wide focus on wellness, Dr. Tatum has provided exemplary leadership,” says Rosalind Brewer, Chair of the Spelman College Board of Trustees.
With the campaign now at an end, President Tatum has announced her intention to retire on June 30, 2015. “As the campaign closes and I prepare to enter a new decade in my life, it presents a natural time for transition. It is a great time to pass the baton to a new leader, and I am ready to return to my writing,” explains Dr. Tatum, a well-known author, who will turn age 60 this year.
Board Chair Brewer acknowledges this bittersweet moment.
“Dr. Tatum has been a true visionary. She and the entire campus community have demonstrated tremendous leadership and stewardship of the institution over the last 12 years. The entire board truly appreciates the significant strides made under this administration. Now it is time not to rest on our laurels, but to build on these accomplishments. As we look ahead, we take pride in the history of strong leadership that has distinguished Spelman College, and we intend to continue that tradition moving forward. It’s an exciting time.”
