On June 8, the College announced a $100 million initiative, Always Forward: The 75th Anniversary Campaign for Le Moyne, the aim of which is to provide the next generation of Dolphins with a world-class Jesuit education characterized by outstanding academic, co-curricular and professional experiences. The priorities of the campaign flow directly from the College’s strategic plan, Sempre Avanti. Both honor the depth and permanence of Le Moyne’s Ignatian roots – always rigorous, creative and intellectually curious – while also welcoming change and innovation.
Always Forward is a comprehensive campaign. It does not emphasize bricks and mortar in the way that so many collegiate fundraising campaigns do, but access and opportunity. Carefully crafted in alignment with the College’s Jesuit values, the campaign nurtures the academic and professional growth of Le Moyne’s students and faculty. Always Forward recognizes the need students have for financial assistance, as one-third of Le Moyne students are eligible to receive a federal Pell Grant.
Always Forward launches at a critical point in Le Moyne’s history. In 2014, Linda LeMura, Ph.D. was named president of the College, the first female layperson to lead a Jesuit institution in the United States. Enrollment is strong. In the past six years, five alumni have earned Fulbright awards. The presence of Jesuits on the faculty and in administration has been enhanced. Student outcomes are superb - 98 percent of recent Le Moyne graduates reported employment in a sector related to their major field of study or admittance to graduate school within a year of commencement.
However, in order for the College to continue to grow and expand its academic reputation beyond the state and even beyond the nation, it must strengthen its financial stability.
“Le Moyne is going through a transformation with a focus on key strategic initiatives that strengthen its commitment to academic excellence, emphasize the importance of creativity and innovation in education, and expand its reputation regionally and nationally,” said Bill Barrett ’78, campaign co-chair. “The campaign focuses on investing in students, faculty and programs that will enable the College to attract the very best students and world-renowned faculty and position the College for success for years to come.”
Supporting Le Moyne in this campaign means investing in today’s young people and providing them with a Jesuit, liberal arts education that will prepare them for success in their professional and personal lives. It ensures that they will have the opportunity to learn from world-renowned faculty who challenge, inspire and mentor them throughout their College experience.
“Always Forward is incredibly important because it is a campaign that is about investing in the College’s academic infrastructure,” said Sharon Kinsman Salmon ’78, co-chair of the campaign. “With the strategic plan as our guide, we’re focusing on what our students need to make them as successful as possible. The campaign is truly an investment in the strategic plan, and that plan is all about supporting our students and faculty by giving them the resources they need.”
Since the silent phase of the campaign began in June of 2014, donors have committed $58 million, and the goal is to secure the remaining $42 million in commitments by May 2021. With strong support for both President LeMura’s leadership and the priorities outlined in the strategic plan, it appears on track to reach that goal. During the College’s most recent campaign, Achieving New Heights, the average annual commitment was between $8 million and $9 million. The average annual commitment to Always Forward is approximately 60 percent greater, between $14 million and $15 million. In addition, the President’s Club, which recognizes individuals who contribute $1,000 or more to Le Moyne annually, broke a record during the most recent fiscal year, with more than 1,000 members.
McDevitt Chair in Physics George Coyne, S.J., an honorary co-chair of the campaign and the former director of the Vatican Observatory, noted that Always Forward is ultimately about enabling people to do great work and to be of service to the greater community. He added that while it is “always a dramatic gesture to say that an enterprise is at a ‘critical point,’ that can honestly be said of Le Moyne at this time.
“Le Moyne is uniquely situated to educate students from families of modest means – and these students are not just statistics. They are ambitious young people who are eager to contribute to the betterment of the society in which they live,” said Father Coyne. “We are, therefore, in a unique place to make a significant contribution to the growth of American society. If we succeed in this, the children and grandchildren of today’s students will be coming to us for the same reasons. I can think of few such efforts more deserving of donor support.”
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