SMU Magazine Winter 2001 - Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

Campus News
$7 million gift kicks off
SMU capital campaign
At the August 23 faculty/
sstaff workshop, Saint
Mary’s University announced a
$7 million anonymous gift —
and unveiled the public phase
of a new $30 million capital
campaign.
This largest-ever gift to the
university is unrestricted and
will be designated to Saint
Mary’s “Legacy for Learning: A
Campaign for Students.” The
campaign’s focus is to build
endowment to meet student
needs in the areas of teaching,
learning and student life.
“We are astounded by the
generosity of this gift and
immeasurably gratified by the
support and confidence of this
investment in the future of Saint Mary’s,” said Brother
President Louis DeThomasis.
The gift was made to underscore the benefactor’s faith
in and commitment to the university’s vision, direction and
leadership. The anonymous benefactor, a Chicago-area
friend of the university, expressed a strong desire to assist
the university in its core mission: “The liberal arts education
in the Lasal-
Robert E. Kelly, Jr.
Legacy Campaign
Co-chair
Bernie Wagnild
Legacy Campaign
Co-chair
lian tradition
Saint Mary’s provides
its students
— in all its programs
and at all
its locations — is
the best possible
preparation for
the speed of
change we see in
this new century.”
“Launching our campaign with this magnificent gift
positions Saint Mary’s University to meet its destiny of
service with faith and zeal,” Brother Louis said. “The university
is indeed blessed by the grace and goodness of
benefactors who so thoroughly share of their blessings to
help students lead lives of meaning and magnitude.”
The $30 million “Legacy for Learning” goal is double
the amount of the school’s most recent campaign, “The
L EGACY for
LEARNING
A Campaign for Students
Next Step,” which resulted in
over $15 million in gifts.
Recognizing the explosive
rate of change in the last century,
Saint Mary’s is seeking
unrestricted endowment funds
to respond to changing student
needs and rapid global
transformation. The campaign
is coordinating support from
alumni, parents, friends, corporations,
faculty and staff.
Gifts to “Legacy for
Learning” will support a variety
of areas at Saint Mary’s
University, including: student
scholarships and leadership
development, faculty development,
research, facilities
improvements, new learning
technologies, student service, and spiritual development.
Campaign co-chairmen Robert E. Kelly, Jr. and
Bernard E. Wagnild are both trustees of the university.
≠
My vision for this campaign is to
send a strong message to everyone
who loves Saint Mary’s: This is not
simply another campaign but the
building of an endowment that
will ensure our future for the
21st century.
— Bernie Wagnild
8 SAINT MARY’S UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE