CENTRE PARENT FUND
Centre's alumni are recognized nationally as being the most loyal, satisfied alumni of any college in the country. They register their satisfaction by participating in the Annual Fund - with over 60 percent of them making a gift each year. In fact, over 80 percent of Centre alumni have made a gift to the College at some point.
Twenty-five years ago, when Centre was first
pronounced NUMBER ONE in the nation in alumni
giving, no one could have predicted the impact
that single fact would have on the College's future.
In just a few years, Centre's name began creeping
up in national conversations about liberal arts
colleges and in "best buy" rankings; the media
took notice of this small school in Kentucky that
seemed to do giant things; the Olin Foundation
gave Centre funding for one of its prestigious
buildings, and the rest is recent history.
In short, this reputation for loyalty and satisfaction put this small school on the map and gained us national recognition.
Parents are another important group of supporters who have an impact on Centre. The Centre College Parent Fund had an outstanding 2007-2008 year and we expect even greater success in the year ahead. When last year began, we hoped to raise $126,000 from 48 percent of Centre parents. Both of these numbers would have established new records for the College. When the year ended, Centre parents had far exceeded our expectations. With 52 percent of all parents participating, the Parent Fund raised $150,986!
Centre parents make gifts to the Parent Fund because they realize it is one way to play an active role in the quality education their students' receive. By supporting the Parent Fund, they can make a tangible difference in the quality of students' lives on campus. The Parent Fund supports many campus enhancements and extra programs that make Centre College so special. The money raised in 2007-2008 was used for three primary purposes.
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The Collegiate Readership Program promotes newspaper readership among college students by providing free issues of the Lexington (KY) Herald Leader, New York Times, and USA Today in several locations around campus. Due to the special support of the Parent Fund, Centre was the first school in the state to participate in this program.
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The Parent Fund also created a Video Screening Room in the library. The screening room required relatively minor renovation of an existing space within the library and the purchase of a wide screen TV, special speakers, and new chairs. Increasingly, faculty members find it useful to screen DVDs for their classes or to require a DVD to be viewed outside of class. Creating the screening room allows for two groups to be able to view DVDs simultaneously or for a few students to view a DVD on closed reserve more easily. This room will directly impact current and future Centre students.
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Finally, the Parent Fund endowed a Parents Association Scholarship. Scholarship endowment was the highest priority of the Campaign for A More Perfect Centre, which ended in December 2007. As the campaign came to a close, parents showed their appreciation for Centre's commitment to student scholarship by establishing and supporting the Parents Association Scholarship.
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As 2008-2009 begins, Centre parents again have an opportunity to make a difference. This year, the Parent Fund will focus on one of Centre's most exciting projects - The Campus Center. The Campus Center is under construction now! This new facility will replace Cowan Dining Commons, but it will provide students with much more than just a new dining hall. The Campus Center will contain meeting and conference rooms, student lounge space, snack bar facilities, and much more.
One room in particular seems especially appropriate for Parent Fund support. Space has been set aside for a student lounge. Complete with comfortable couches and chairs, ping pong and pool tables, and a big screen television for video game systems, the student lounge will be enjoyed by all Centre students for years to come.
In addition to the student lounge, parents continue to be supportive of The Collegiate Readership Program. This initiative, always funded by parents, has become very popular on campus. In order to continue providing free newspapers to students, the Parent Fund will once again lend its support to this program.
To ensure that both the lounge and the readership program have adequate funding, the Parent Fund goal for 2008-2009 will be $165,000. This is a 9 percent increase from our current level of support. Although this is an aggressive goal, we are confident that Centre parents will help make both projects a success. This year, Centre parents also have an opportunity to surpass Centre alumni in terms of participation, with a goal of 60 percent.
Participate! Please consider making a gift to the College's Parent Fund today!
MAKE A DONATION!
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