Acorn

Issue date: 2/15/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Michelle Caffrey Vice President of Development and Alumni/ae affairs Donna Frithsen (left) speaks with the newly announced head of the upcoming capital campaign, trustee Bill Freeman (CLA'74).

A new University Center, an expanded science building and new scholarships are all on Drew University's wishlist. Trustee Bill Freeman (CLA'74) is head of the committee to make those wishes happen. Freeman was announced at last week's board of trustees meeting as the new chair of the National Campaign.

Drew is in the planning stages of this capital campaign aimed at earning money for such new projects. "[This] is a major fundraising effort on the part of the University and we're in the process now of identifying what the priorities will be for the funds raised," Chief Communications Officer Dave Muha said.

The campaign involves seeking monetary support from University alumni. "[We are] now asking ourselves who can we reach out to, and what level of support is realistic," he said. "We have a sense of who the people are who would be inclined to help the campaign. We're being very diligent about figuring out how much money we can earn . . . and what projects can be worked on."

There are three phases to the campaign, according to Vice President for Development Donna Frithsen. The first and "most important is planning and establishing a consensus around goals," she said. The second, called the "silent phase", "tests goals quietly by making early solicitations of larger gifts to build momentum. The third, the public phase, which usually involves a campaign launch event on campus, occurs a couple of years into campaigning after the momentum necessary to accomplish the goal has been built.

"Raising money for academic support, support of faculty and student scholarships is very high on our list," Frithsen said. "No one campaign piece is more important than others." This as a comprehensive campaign, meaning that every dollar given counts. "People can give money to support scholarships, bricks and mortar, endowment, programs. Whether you're Harvard or Drew, those are the things you're raising money for."

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