Comprehensive Fundraising Campaign Spotlights Columbian College Aspirations

July 10, 2014
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As the university kicks off the most ambitious philanthropic campaign in its 200-year history, Columbian College is leading the charge toward the initiative’s core goals: enhancing academics, supporting students and breaking new ground on research to tackle emerging issues.

The seven-year, $1 billon university-wide fundraising effort— dubbed Making History: The Campaign for GW—was “quietly” launched on July 1, 2011 and publicly launched last month at a gala event on the Mount Vernon Estate. To date, the campaign has raised more than $525 million toward the ambitious goal and Columbian College has garnered 55% of its goal to raise $100 million by June of 2018.

“The success of our campaign is grounded in knowing and understanding what inspires and motivates our donors and volunteers to act, to invest, to make an impact in research and learning.” said Columbian College Dean Ben Vinson. “The funds raised will be transformative, a real game-changer, in supporting our emerging vision for the engaged liberal arts.”

The college is already “making history” as it completes a record-breaking year in philanthropy. During the fiscal year ending June 30, $17 million was raised through private support, compared to $11.8 million during the previous fiscal year and $10.5 million in fiscal year 2012. Recent gifts include $100,000 from Paul Chemnick, BA ’66, JD ’69, to establish the Henigan Endowed Scholarship for Debate, $207,000 from Exxon Mobil in support of research work within the Trachtenberg School’s Regulatory Studies Center, and a $75,000 pledge from Gregory Nelson, BA ’78, in support of the Dean’s Strategic Opportunities Fund.

Campaign Priorities

The university’s comprehensive campaign focuses on three funding targets: $500 million for academic programs, such as hiring new faculty, creating an undergraduate STEM Academy and developing joint BA/MA programs to impart advanced skills in a condensed timespan; $400 million for student support, including Power & Promise scholarships and funds for diverse affinity-living residences and enhanced student and career services; and $100 million for capital projects, such as the soon-to-complete Science and Engineering Hall and GW’s new museum.

The funding pools will not only cover approved programs but will also give donors the freedom to suggest projects that align with their own passions and GW’s broader goals.

The campaign positions Columbian College—the academic heart of the university with approximately 500 full-time faculty members, 100 majors and minors, and 8,000 undergraduate and graduate students—as a pivotal player in shaping the university's direction. The college’s own campaign priorities complement the larger university goals and focus on the following five areas of support:

  • $25 million for endowed professorships: In the scholarly world, endowed faculty positions provide academic honor and annual support for salaries in perpetuity, and may offer the holder a highly-prized source of discretionary research funds. Endowed (named) professorships allow Columbian College to attract and retain the best scholars in the world and increase the number of full-time faculty dedicated to research and excellence in teaching. The need is crucial because these positions contribute to the rise in our academic reputation and provide students with more opportunities to develop meaningful, collaborative partnerships with the very best academic leaders.
     
  • $15-25 million for scholarships and fellowships: As the largest academic unit within GW, and the one with the widest array of disciplines, Columbian College is the place where donors can have the greatest impact. The high cost of student debt serves as a barrier to accomplishment and can impact their choice of graduate education and careers. As prospective students increasingly rely on tens of thousands of dollars in loans to pay for their education, the college has looked to philanthropic support to ease the student debt burden; increase the diversity of the student population; and free current financial aid resources for other needs.
     
  • $5-10 million for faculty research support: Almost every research project begins as an idea or an approach, usually one not thought of before. These innovative notions require early and ample resources—graduate or undergraduate assistance, special equipment, travel, laboratory or computer time, or other specific needs. Pilot funding can seed preliminary results that can attract the larger grants to help create valuable new knowledge.

    Being able to supply such research needs allows us to accelerate the pace of research and discovery. Additional resources also make possible greater involvement of graduate and undergraduates on research teams, enhancing their education, and training the next generation of investigators.
     
  • $15-25 million for the Science and Engineering Hall: This state-of-the-art building promises to be an incubator of discovery like no other in the nation’s capital. The facility will offer a transformative learning and research experience, with innovative tools and spaces such as an imaging facility that enables investigators from a variety of disciplines to “see” into materials and cells with far greater detail and clarity. The Hall will feature a multi-use media center aimed at disseminating knowledge while hosting national science symposia, conferences, and talks by distinguished visitors.
     
  • $15 million for strategic opportunities: The ever-evolving landscape of academe demands the flexibility to support creative projects, scholarly capstone courses, visiting professorships, artist-in-residence programs, lecture series, master classes, and academic symposia. Columbian College convenes scholars from around the globe on our campus to share perspectives, stimulate debate, and inform our research agenda. Having the resources for these academic opportunities—and the flexibility to seize options on short notice—increases the visibility and reputation of our programs and provides unique intellectual opportunities for our students.

    Increased support of strategic opportunities will build our research capability, enable more top students to take part in our programs, and enhance the academic reputations of our more than 42 departments and programs and 27 research centers and institutes. In short, such support provides the flexible seed money for excellence.

For more information on the campaign and ways to make a difference through philanthropic support, contact the Columbian College Development Office at 202-994-0854 or visit http://campaign.gwu.edu/priorities/schools-and-colleges/ccas.