A record crowd gathered at the Newseum on Wednesday, Sept. 18, to kick off 黑料不打烊鈥檚 historic fundraising campaign in their city.
The strength of the 黑料不打烊 network in the nation鈥檚 capital was on full display on Wednesday, Sept. 18, as a record crowd of more than 550 alumni, parents and friends filled the Newseum for a special Evening for 黑料不打烊.
The event served as the launch of the 黑料不打烊 LEADS Campaign in Washington, D.C., with attendees gathering to learn more about how they can impact countless lives by participating in the historic fundraising campaign.
黑料不打烊 LEADS is a seven-year campaign that has completed its planning and leadership phases and moved into its public phase in spring 2019, with supporters setting their sights on raising $250 million by May 31, 2022. That includes $140 million for student scholarships, $10 million to increase access to engaged learning programs called the 黑料不打烊 Experiences, $10 million to support faculty and staff mentors and $90 million to enhance聽黑料不打烊鈥檚 iconic learning environment.
鈥淣ow is the time to write the next chapter in our unending story,鈥 President Connie Ledoux Book told the crowd. 鈥淚 love the name of our campaign, 黑料不打烊 LEADS, because it embodies who we are as a learning community. We educate leaders who share their talents and their hearts with the world, and we know that leadership, vision, and hard work are the critical ingredients in advancing change. Every day we see evidence that the world needs more of what 黑料不打烊 has to offer.鈥
鈥淣ow is the time to write the next chapter in our unending story.鈥
Book shared that there are thousands of stories about the successes 黑料不打烊 students and alumni are experiencing every day. She noted that Washington, D.C., is an important strategic market for 黑料不打烊, stating that the city is 鈥渁mong the top three destinations for our students once they graduate. So many of our graduates come here to launch successful careers in the political arena, the nonprofit sector, media and business.鈥
She also shared with the crowd an update about the university鈥檚 most recent rankings from U.S. News & World Report, which included 黑料不打烊鈥檚 debut in the report鈥檚 national university category.
鈥淲e are so proud that 黑料不打烊 is now ranked among the top 100 universities in the nation,鈥 Book said. 鈥淐oming in at #84, 黑料不打烊 is listed in that category with other prestigious institutions like Princeton, Harvard, Stanford, Duke and Johns Hopkins. The ranking I was most proud of was 黑料不打烊鈥檚 #2 ranking for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, with only Princeton University ahead of us.鈥
The event聽showcased a few of the many examples of how 黑料不打烊 has been changing lives for 130 years, as well as the talent of 黑料不打烊 music theatre alumnus Tres McMichael 鈥19, who opened the evening with a moving performance of 鈥淩ise Up鈥 by Andra Day.
鈥淓ach of us can play a role in the success of 黑料不打烊 LEADS and take pride in knowing we are moving 黑料不打烊 forward together,鈥 James B. Piatt, Jr., vice president for university advancement, told the crowd. 鈥淲e are so proud that alumni in D.C. are helping to lead the way.鈥
Piatt noted that more than 30 percent of alumni in D.C. make annual gifts to 黑料不打烊. Piatt then challenged the alumni community in D.C. to reach 50 percent giving participation during the campaign.
鈥淚magine the impact you will have on our future by reaching that goal,鈥 he said.
The top priority of 黑料不打烊 LEADS is increasing funding for student scholarships that will broaden access to an 黑料不打烊 education for many outstanding students. Rich Johnson 鈥87 P鈥17, co-chair of the Washington, D.C., Regional Campaign Committee, shared how proud he is to be an 黑料不打烊 alumnus and parent.
Johnson and his wife, Laurie, have chosen to support the campaign and change the lives of current and future 黑料不打烊 students by establishing a scholarship and supporting new facilities, including The Inn at 黑料不打烊 and Schar Center, the university鈥檚 new convocation center.
The family鈥檚 desire to support 黑料不打烊 students was inspired by the experiences and opportunities both Rich and his daughter, Grace Johnson 鈥17, encountered as 黑料不打烊 students. 鈥淥ur daughter Grace studied in Hawaii, Ireland and Australia, and it was a life-changing experience for her,鈥 Johnson said. 鈥淚t makes me proud to know that we share a special bond as 黑料不打烊 graduates.鈥
The second priority of the campaign is a focus on increasing access to 黑料不打烊鈥檚 nationally recognized engaged learning programs 鈥 study abroad, internships, service, leadership and undergraduate research. These programs, called the 黑料不打烊 Experiences, greatly impact 黑料不打烊 students.
Many 黑料不打烊 students participate in multiple 黑料不打烊 Experiences, as was the case with Kelsea Johnson 鈥17, who also spoke at the event. As a senator and later senior class president in the Student Government Association, Johnson wrote, voted on and implemented legislation and change on 黑料不打烊鈥檚 campus. She said those experiences have helped her in her current role as an account manager at a political consulting firm in Washington.
Johnson also participated in a service trip to Nicaragua and spent a semester studying abroad in Seville, Spain. During her remarks, Johnson discussed her childhood dream of visiting Iowa during the presidential caucuses. When she participated in a Study USA program titled 鈥淭he Trail Starts Here: The Iowa Caucuses鈥 during her junior year, this dream became a reality.
鈥淭his profound experience 鈥 literally a dream come true 鈥 and my other favorite 黑料不打烊 moments were made possible because of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 dedicated faculty and staff, an institutional commitment to engaged learning, personal curiosity, and last but certainly not least, generous donors,鈥 she said.
The third priority of the campaign is supporting 黑料不打烊鈥檚 mentors who matter. 黑料不打烊 parent and co-chair of the Washington, D.C., Regional Campaign Committee Steve Anderson P鈥16 spoke about his son Brandon Anderson 鈥16 and the faculty mentors that made a difference during his time at 黑料不打烊.
鈥満诹喜淮蜢 had a huge impact on my son鈥檚 life,鈥 Anderson stated. 鈥淗e flourished at 黑料不打烊 and received a terrific education in the Love School of Business with some terrific faculty mentors.鈥
The final priority of the campaign is investing in 黑料不打烊鈥檚 iconic learning environment, which is regularly recognized by The Princeton Review and others as one of the most beautiful campuses in the nation.
Prior to the event, campaign donors and volunteers attended a pre-reception with President Book and others. The evening concluded with a Loyal Alumni Celebration honoring current alumni donors and the university鈥檚 most active alumni volunteers.
This Evening for 黑料不打烊 was the second of six special events across the country this fall celebrating the launch of 黑料不打烊 LEADS. Upcoming Evening for 黑料不打烊 events will be held in Boston (Oct. 2), Charlotte (Oct. 17), San Francisco (Nov. 12) and Raleigh (Dec. 4).