Campaign Bulletin - June 2010

Thank You for Helping the Campaign Raise $12.36M

Opportunity for a Lifetime, the largest fundraising campaign in Worcester State College's history, has raised $12.36 million—surpassing the extended goal of $12 million announced in October 2009.  “This accomplishment is especially gratifying,” says Worcester State Foundation Board President David Bedard, “because we were able to surpass our goal during very challenging economic times.” The campaign raised $4,055,478 for scholarships, $3,804,658 for academic development, and $4,503,027 for the unrestricted endowment. In all, 112 new funds were added during the campaign, including 70 new scholarship funds and 42 new academic funds. More than $1.17 million was raised for campus expansion initiatives. “Rather than declaring victory and closing our campaign when we met our original goal of $10 million last fall, we made the bold decision to set our sights on a more ambitious goal of $12 million,” explains President Ashley, “because our students’ needs are so great. We are fortunate to have such a large community of loyal and generous donors who have reached and surpassed the bar every time we have raised it.” Sixty-four gifts and pledges of $25,000 and higher are among the thousands of commitments recorded during the campaign. Alumni make up nearly 60 percent of the 7,639 donors who made gifts. The campaign also enjoyed solid support from WSC board members. Participation by members of the Board of Trustees, Foundation Board, and Alumni Association’s Advisory Board is over 90 percent.

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Coke Agreement Boosts the Unrestricted Endowment

WSC’s new sponsorship agreement with Coca-Cola Bottling Company of New England will provide more than $500,000 in financial support over 10 years. In exchange for exclusive beverage sale and marketing rights on the WSC campus, Coca-Cola will provide $425,000 to the Worcester State Foundation’s unrestricted endowment fund, $30,000 for the annual alumni scholarship golf tournament, $45,000 for equipment, and $5,000 of Coca-Cola products. The company will also pay WSC commissions on full-service beverage vending sales. The unrestricted endowment helps fund College priorities, which have included the renovation of laboratories, competitive faculty grants, a loan for the Worcester Center for Crafts alliance, and various campus enhancement projects. “Most importantly, the resources generated by this agreement are central to growing the Foundation’s endowment,” President Ashley said. “This endowment helps Worcester State College meet students’ academic needs and make up for reduced state support. Our agreement with Coke ensures we can continue with our mission long-term.” Corporate sponsorships such as Coke’s multi-year agreement contribute to the growth of scholarship endowment. For instance, the Alumni Scholarship Golf Tournament has raised over $500,000 since 1993 largely because of corporate support.  "We are proud of our long-running partnership with WSC, and excited about today's announcement," said Market Unit Vice President for Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. Susan Fagan. "At Coca-Cola we believe it is important to support the communities we serve by identifying and working with those institutions that are making a difference everyday. WSC and the Worcester State Foundation could not be better examples."

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Grant to Expand Graduate Nursing Program

With a $112,000 grant from the Fairlawn Foundation, a fund of the Greater Worcester Community Foundation, WSC is developing a Master of Science in Nursing program with a concentration in nursing education. Nursing educators with advanced degrees are critical to increasing the capacity of the College’s baccalaureate nursing program and addressing the regional nursing shortage. “The shortage of nurses is being driven by a shortage in nursing faculty,” explains the program’s coordinator, Professor of Nursing Stephanie Chalupka ’80, Ed.D. “Over the next 15 years, workforce analysts project that the nation’s nursing shortage will grow twice as large as any shortage experienced in this country since the mid-1960s, and this will no doubt impact the supply of nursing faculty.” This generous grant enables the College to create a pilot program that combines the best of face-to-face and online learning. This “blended learning format” is currently used by the Master of Science program in Community Health Nursing. This program offers three routes of entry for registered nurses who want to earn a master’s degree in nursing. Registered nurses may enter a WSC graduate nursing program with an associate or Bachelor of Science degree in nursing, and registered nurses holding an associate’s degree, who have an earned degree in a non-nursing discipline, may enter through the department’s bridge program. Beginning in January 2011, this innovative and successful model will be replicated and these three routes of entry will be available to those interested in the new program. The goal is to admit 10 students annually for the first three years. “I expect all of our students to be working full-time, and the blended format will help them to achieve their goal of earning a master’s degree in nursing,” Chalupka adds. Grants from the Fairlawn Foundation also funded scholarships, a nursing faculty development program, and nursing lab equipment during the campaign.

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Latest Gift from Alumnus Builds Scholarship Fund

Retired Lt. Col. James F. Sheehan ’55 helped the campaign surpass the $12 million mark this spring with a gift of stock valued at nearly $100,000. “There are many bright students at Worcester State College without any money. If you don’t help out, you’re wasting an asset,” he says. With a $500,000 gift in 2006, Sheehan established two endowed funds—one for scholarships and the other for academic achievement awards. Sheehan personally knows the value of receiving scholarship assistance. A scholarship funded through an honorarium left by Massachusetts writer Olive Higgins Prouty after a guest lecture at Worcester State Teachers College covered Jim’s $75-a-year tuition for his sophomore, junior, and senior years. He admits that it made it much easier for him to earn a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education. He went on to graduate school at American University “on the Marine Corps penny” and to become a successful Marine, business owner, investor, and philanthropist. “I feel a kinship to them,” he says of the recipients of his scholarships and awards. “A degree is a license to learn,” he adds. “These students are taking full advantage of that,” he says.

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DCU/Reach Out for Schools Establish Textbook Fund

Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU) and Reach Out for Schools have pledged $50,000 to establish a textbook fund for WSC students. The fund will provide approximately 200 students in the next five years with $250 towards the purchase of textbooks. DCU and Reach Out for Schools created the textbook fund to support the ongoing efforts of both organizations to further advocate the importance of a continuing education at Worcester State College. “DCU’s support of the book fund to benefit Worcester State College students is an investment in tomorrow’s future by taking proactive steps today, to ensure that every student has the means necessary to pursue a higher education and achieve their financial goals tomorrow,” says Tim Garner, DCU’s senior vice president of marketing and strategic planning. Based on feedback from students, according to Tom McNamara, they will welcome the opportunity to apply for assistance with their textbook expenses. “The organizers of Reach Out for Schools believe that the future health and economic strength of our communities and our country depend on the successful education of our children,” explains Michael Caissey, Reach Out for Schools’ board director and chairperson. “The groundwork is laid in our schools, but because schools are often lacking in resources they need to achieve or students do not have the necessary financial support to further their education, Reach Out for Schools provides support in both areas.” DCU and Reach Out for Schools have created the Foundation’s largest student textbook fund to date.

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Offering You a Look Beyond the Campaign

While the campaign is ending, the impacts the economic downturn and sluggish recovery are having on the College call for us to continue supporting College priorities in the years ahead. President Ashley and her leadership team have already started to look ahead. The Office of Institutional Advancement will be addressing the priorities in the new strategic plan, supporting plans to build a new wellness center (to replace the gym building), strengthening the newly expanded Visual and Performing Arts program, and, of course, continuing to build the Foundation’s scholarship program. The call to grow the general scholarship fund has intensified as the College faces a projected long-term budget challenge. The larger the Foundation’s general scholarship fund, the more competitive WSC can be when it comes to enticing talented students to enroll—and stay enrolled. Early results are promising. At end of May, our overall acceptances were up by just under 19 percent over last year and overall deposits were up by more than 20 percent. In addition, the Foundation this year transferred over $1.3 million to the College, including $112,260 for scholarships, $920,100 for equipment, $136,215 for program support, and $68,000 for faculty support. With the help of our loyal and resilient donors, the Foundation plans to sustain this level of support of the College.

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