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WAVERLY, Iowa (AP) — Wartburg College in northeast Iowa has announced a $75 million fundraising effort — and it's already raised nearly three-quarters of that.
For two years, the college has been quietly raising money for its "Transforming Tomorrow" capital campaign, the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reported (http://bit.ly/1vsE8xr ) Saturday. Donors have already contributed nearly $54 million.
The campaign has three areas of focus: increase the size and pool of student scholarships, pump up programs and fund capital improvements, including an $8 million renovation of Clinton Hall.
The goal includes $37 million to ensure student access, $14 million to enhance student living and learning, $16 million for programs enabling student success and $8 million for the annual fund.
Being well on the way to the $75 million goal will help college boosters and the campaign raise the rest of the money, college officials said. Much of that nearly $54 million already raised comes from large gifts, such as the $2 million pledge from Marge and Michael McCoy of Wisconsin on Friday night. The money is specifically earmarked for Clinton Hall. The McCoys also are co-chairing the capital campaign.
"It was an easy decision," said Michael McCoy of his support for the campaign, adding the decision was partly based on the education his children received at Wartburg.
One reason college officials conducted what Wartburg President Darrel Colson calls a "quiet campaign" for two years was to get a sense of what alumni and potential donors valued most.
Colson says most donors want to keep the college affordable and market the college to help keep enrollment numbers up.
"Some donors want to support a particular project," Colson said. "We welcome that and can help with that."
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Information from: Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, http://www.wcfcourier.com
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