Ferrum College - The Ferrum Newsstand

    On Thursday evening, May 3rd, Ferrum College will publicly launch a new capital campaign, “Raising the Bar: the New Campaign for Ferrum College,” the largest and most ambitious fundraising effort in the College’s 94-year history. Plans to raise $17 million by December of 2008 will be announced during a black-tie gala in the Skeens Alumni Conference Center in Franklin Hall. Area dignitaries and major donors to the Campaign will be among those in attendance, including Ferrum College Trustee Mr. Ron Willard, a local real estate developer and chairman of the Campaign.

     To date over 90% of the goal, has already been raised during the “quiet phase” of the Campaign. The College expects to reach the $17 million mark about a year ahead of schedule. The money will fund numerous projects, including endowments for teaching and scholarships, a state of the art athletic center, a service-learning center, and renovations and upgrades to several campus facilities.

     According to Dr. Jennifer Braaten, Ferrum’s president, “The generosity of our contributors is overwhelming to all of us who strive every day to help our students achieve success in their college careers. The tremendous response to the quiet phase of the Campaign is also solid evidence that projects such as our two new residence halls, the dramatic renovation of Franklin Hall, including the beautiful Skeens Alumni Conference Center, and the opening of the Ferrum Community Health Clinic have inspired a high level of confidence in our benefactors. We can never thank them enough, not only for being so generous, but also for the trust they have placed in us as administrators to steward their gifts to the highest and best purpose.”

     Dr. Lee King, Vice President for Institutional Advancement, says, “Just as our final goal sets a new bar for philanthropy at the College, the dollars we have raised to-date also establish a new benchmark for giving. The selfless giving by our alumni, friends, faculty and staff, and many others who believe in Ferrum has been phenomenal and has wildly exceeded our expectations.”
The signature component of the Campaign will be The Hank Norton Athletic Center. W.H. “Hank” Norton Jr. served as head football coach at Ferrum College from 1960 to 1993. During that time, Norton guided the Panthers to 29 winning seasons, coached 5 unbeaten teams and 46 All-Americans, and saw 42 of his players sign professional football contracts. His 244-77-11 overall career record stands as one of the best in collegiate football. To continue Ferrum’s tradition of athletic excellence, and to honor Coach Norton, a true Ferrum legend, Ferrum College the planned 30,000 square foot facility will function as the centerpiece of the College’s athletic programs and will also serve academic programs.

     A portion of the money raised will go to the creation of a Service Learning Center located in lower Roberts Hall. The Center will be a place where students will have access to a wide variety of service learning resources, including connections with entities seeking volunteer services, reinforcing Ferrum College’s “Not Self, But Others” motto.

     Renovations and improvements to The Blue Ridge Institute and Museum (BRI) will also be funded by “Raising the Bar.” The BRI is the Commonwealth of Virginia’s official repository of Blue Ridge folklife as designated by the Virginia General Assembly. The Museum documents and presents the folkways of the Blue Ridge Mountain region and includes an archive, gallery spaces and a living history farm. Plans are underway for renovations and repairs to the farm museum buildings.

Several other campus facility renovations and upgrades, including the resurfacing and lighting of the tennis courts, the renovation of historic Beckham Hall, and renovations to the main and upper floors of Roberts Hall are also part of the Campaign.

For more information about “Raising the Bar: the New Campaign for Ferrum College,” please contact the Public Relations Department at 365-4300.

    Ferrum College is a four-year, private, co-educational, liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Ferrum offers a choice of nationally recognized bachelor’s degree programs at a cost well below the national average for private colleges. For more information on Ferrum, visit www.ferrum.edu.

Ferrum College Announces “Raising the Bar;” Largest Fundraising Effort in College’s History
For immediate release: May 1, 2007	Contact: Natalie Faunce, (540) 365-4301 nfaunce@ferrum.edu
On Thursday evening, May 3rd, Ferrum College will publicly launch a new capital campaign, “Raising the Bar: the New Campaign for Ferrum College,” the largest and most ambitious fundraising effort in the College’s 94-year history. Plans to raise $17 million by December of 2008 will be announced during a black-tie gala in the Skeens Alumni Conference Center in Franklin Hall. Area dignitaries and major donors to the Campaign will be among those in attendance, including Ferrum College Trustee Mr. Ron Willard, a local real estate developer and chairman of the Campaign. To date over 90% of the goal, has already been raised during the “quiet phase” of the Campaign. The College expects to reach the $17 million mark about a year ahead of schedule. The money will fund numerous projects, including endowments for teaching and scholarships, a state of the art athletic center, a service-learning center, and renovations and upgrades to several campus facilities. According to Dr. Jennifer Braaten, Ferrum’s president, “The generosity of our contributors is overwhelming to all of us who strive every day to help our students achieve success in their college careers. The tremendous response to the quiet phase of the Campaign is also solid evidence that projects such as our two new residence halls, the dramatic renovation of Franklin Hall, including the beautiful Skeens Alumni Conference Center, and the opening of the Ferrum Community Health Clinic have inspired a high level of confidence in our benefactors. We can never thank them enough, not only for being so generous, but also for the trust they have placed in us as administrators to steward their gifts to the highest and best purpose.” Dr. Lee King, Vice President for Institutional Advancement, says, “Just as our final goal sets a new bar for philanthropy at the College, the dollars we have raised to-date also establish a new benchmark for giving. The selfless giving by our alumni, friends, faculty and staff, and many others who believe in Ferrum has been phenomenal and has wildly exceeded our expectations.” The signature component of the Campaign will be The Hank Norton Athletic Center. W.H. “Hank” Norton Jr. served as head football coach at Ferrum College from 1960 to 1993. During that time, Norton guided the Panthers to 29 winning seasons, coached 5 unbeaten teams and 46 All-Americans, and saw 42 of his players sign professional football contracts. His 244-77-11 overall career record stands as one of the best in collegiate football. To continue Ferrum’s tradition of athletic excellence, and to honor Coach Norton, a true Ferrum legend, Ferrum College the planned 30,000 square foot facility will function as the centerpiece of the College’s athletic programs and will also serve academic programs. A portion of the money raised will go to the creation of a Service Learning Center located in lower Roberts Hall. The Center will be a place where students will have access to a wide variety of service learning resources, including connections with entities seeking volunteer services, reinforcing Ferrum College’s “Not Self, But Others” motto. Renovations and improvements to The Blue Ridge Institute and Museum (BRI) will also be funded by “Raising the Bar.” The BRI is the Commonwealth of Virginia’s official repository of Blue Ridge folklife as designated by the Virginia General Assembly. The Museum documents and presents the folkways of the Blue Ridge Mountain region and includes an archive, gallery spaces and a living history farm. Plans are underway for renovations and repairs to the farm museum buildings. Several other campus facility renovations and upgrades, including the resurfacing and lighting of the tennis courts, the renovation of historic Beckham Hall, and renovations to the main and upper floors of Roberts Hall are also part of the Campaign. For more information about “Raising the Bar: the New Campaign for Ferrum College,” please contact the Public Relations Department at 365-4300. Ferrum College is a four-year, private, co-educational, liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Ferrum offers a choice of nationally recognized bachelor’s degree programs at a cost well below the national average for private colleges. For more information on Ferrum, visit www.ferrum.edu.
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