September 11, 1997

Capital Campaign: Setting Records

More than $8.3 million was received during the 1996-97 year as Thresholds: The Campaign for Loyola University New Orleans continues to set records for fund-raising at Loyola. Total gifts and pledges to the campaign are at $34.7 million, with $11.7 million paid to date and already being used for construction of the library and earning interest for student financial aid and faculty program support.

Highlighting the year was a commitment for the new Visual Arts Center and Gallery to be located on the fourth floor of the library. The lead gift for the gallery is from the Ella West Freeman Foundation in the amount of $500,000. Added to the $150,000 from the J. Aron Charitable Foundation, Inc., and $50,000 from the Zemurray Foundation, as well as other individual gifts, almost $1 million has been raised to provide a showcase for faculty art shows and student exhibits. All three foundations represent members of the New Orleans community's commitment to the arts and celebrate the role which the arts play in not only the life of the city but the arts importance to the academic community. They also represent first time donors to Loyola.

A commitment to support the new master's degree in the nursing program offered through City College was made through a local private foundation.

The Shawn M. Donnelley Center for Nonprofit Communications, a part of the Department of Communications in the College of Arts and Sciences, was enriched further by a gift from one of our trustees, Shawn M. Donnelley, A'91. Donnelley has now committed over $145,000 to advance the work of the center. Associate Professor Teri Henley has been actively pursuing support for the Center, which includes major equipment upgrades for students working in graphics.

In the sciences, the Keck Foundation of Los Angeles provided a grant of $500,000 for the renovation of the chemistry laboratories in Monroe Hall. The Keck Foundation is one of the leading supporters of the sciences in higher education. An elaborate interview process, together with a two-step application program, enabled Loyola to qualify for this support. Contributions from the Keck Foundation are generally viewed by other foundations and corporations as a sign of outstanding approval.

The Keck Foundation grant follows a commitment from the Shell Oil Company Foundation of $300,000 for further renovation of the chemistry laboratories. These two grants, together with a $500,000 commitment from last year's bond issue, now provide $1.3 million toward the overall need of the $2.8 million required for the two-phased renovation now being planned for the chemistry area.

The campaign has already received pledge commitments of slightly more than $4.3 million to endow faculty programs throughout the university. Funds from this endowment have been invested, and the income from these funds will be used in perpetuity to support the teaching and research efforts of those individual colleges, departments, and faculty for whom the gifts have been designated. Of that total, slightly more than $2 million has already been paid and is currently earning both interest for annual distribution as well as growth income to keep pace with inflation.

Almost $4 million to support campaign objectives has been pledged through various trusts and annuities and irrevocable bequests. These gifts will be received after the demise of their donors or the donors' beneficiaries, and we have not reported them in the campaign categories. However, the intent of the donors, always subject to change, is for more than $3 million of these funds to be used for additional faculty support endowments. We are delighted to report that approximately 70% of the endowment goal for faculty support has already been pledged by alumni and friends of the university.

Endowment for student financial aid has received commitments of slightly more than $3.3 million. Of that amount, approximately $2 million has already been paid and is earning interest for university-wide scholarship support. More than $1.74 million has been restricted to scholarships in the College of Music. Income from these gifts is generating almost $100,000 annually in support of scholarships for talented students in the College of Music.

The primary purpose of the campaign, of course, is to support construction of the library and to endow its future operation. Over $18 million has been pledged to date for these combined purposes. The library is on target for its scheduled opening in October 1998. An additional $2.5 million has been committed to support the first years of operating the Lindy Boggs National Center for Community Literacy. Additional information about the Center will be provided in future issues.

The campaign continues its leadership gifts phase and begins major solicitations in regional areas of the country where large numbers of alumni and friends reside. The New Orleans regional campaign has been under way since May and will continue through the end of the year. The largest number of university alumni reside in the greater New Orleans area. Scheduled to launch this month is the Miami regional campaign, to be followed by campaigns in Chicago and New York. Additional information will be forthcoming as plans are made public by the campaign staff. v

-Joseph J. Mansfield, Vice President for Institutional Advancement