April 9, 2004

Support from campus community needed for the Centennial Campaign

The Centennial Campaign will stretch over three stages as Loyola approaches its 100^th birthday in the year 2012. Now in the quiet phase of stage one, the campaign already has firm commitments of more than $14 million. The centerpiece of this first segment is the Center for Visual and Performing Arts on the main campus. This project involves renovation and reconstruction of the old library, with the new building to house over 50,000 square feet of new academic facilities on campus.
The financial goal of stage one is $30 million—one-third of that amount for academic needs in the form of scholarships, professorships, and endowed chairs; and two-thirds for building renovation and expansion, and equipment associated with the Center for Visual and Performing Arts.

According to Darleen Lugenbuhl, director of capital campaigns, "Better facilities benefit all departments because better facilities attract more and better students." When Loyola's new permanent president is in place, decisions will be made about facilities and program needs targeted for attention in the second and third stages of the campaign.

Interim President William J. Byron, S.J., who has been visiting individual donors and corporations during the quiet phase of the campaign, says, "We are off to a good start in this effort. There is a lot of interest and affection for Loyola in the philanthropic community. It takes time to translate that interest into firm commitments, but we are encouraged by early indications of support."

There will be a special approach to national corporations doing business in Louisiana, although not headquartered here, during stage one of the campaign. Strategy for this is being planned by Malcolm Woodall, vice president for institutional advancement, with volunteer assistance from the business community.

During the upcoming fall semester, as the quiet phase ends and the public solicitation begins, members of the campus community will be asked to make pledges of financial support to the Centennial Campaign. Byron hopes that faculty and staff will consider making "stretch" giftsunderstandably short of sacrificial giving, but well beyond a token contribution. This, he says, "will enable us to inform potential external donors that the campus community is financially invested in the same cause for which we are seeking external support."