Thomas College raises record $30M in 'Guarantee the Future' campaign
File Photo / Jim Neuger
Thomas College President Laurie Lachance said the Harold Alfond Foundation's recent $13.5 million investment in the school was a "strong signal" that contributed to the success of the school's latest fundraising campaign.
Thomas College on Tuesday announced that it has raised a record $30 million in a fundraising campaign that gained momentum from a Harold Alfond Foundation gift.
The foundation recently invested $13.5 million for scholarships and other purposes, prompting the Waterville school to set a $27 million goal for its Gurantee the Future campaign.
Besides surpassing that amount, the campaign raised more than twice the previous record of just over $13 million.
“During a time of immense challenges for our region, our state and our nation, education lights the path to a better future," Thomas College President Laurie Lachance said in a news release. "It provides graduates with careers and economic stability and creates opportunities that last lifetimes, including for the communities where they live, work, and lead. It is because of this, and thanks to the tremendous time, effort and investments from the people and organizations who care about Thomas students, that we have been so successful.”
She said the latest campaign also benefited from a donor who made the largest gift from a living individual in the school's history and from a renewed TRIO grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
Compelling mission, business support
Lachance, a 2015 Mainebiz Next List honoree, told Mainebiz on Tuesday that she believes the latest campaign succeeded because of three factors.
They include a very compelling mission to serve students of promise with highly relevant and needed majors who stay and work hard in Maine, along with a strong signal from the Harold Alfond Foundation through its $13.5 million investment, more than twice its previous level.
"This showed that they had respect for and trust in our value," she said.
Lachance also credited "an exceptionally strong central Maine community of business leaders who work together on behalf of the Kennebec Valley region and give so generously so that all may grow and prosper."
The school said in the news release that the goals of the latest fundraising campaign will be implemented over several years.
Thomas takes pride in its career-focused curriculum and U.S. News & World Report No. 7 ranking for top performers on social mobility among colleges in the Northeast.
That ranking assesses schools in terms of advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of disadvantaged students.
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments