Fall 2012
Around the Quads
Columbia College Fund Exceeds FY12 Goal, Raises $16.3 Million
The Columbia College Fund exceeded its $16 million Fiscal Year 2012 goal, raising $16,296,000, or $650,000 more than FY11. More than 11,350 alumni, parents, students and friends of the College contributed to the College Fund, which raises money for financial aid, the Core Curriculum, student services and summer internship stipends. The FY12 total includes donations received from July 1, 2011–June 30, 2012.
The College Fund comprises several sub-categories, each of which built on FY11’s successes.
The Parents Fund raised a record $2.86 million from almost 1,550 donors, representing a 30 percent increase in dollars and a 26 percent increase in donors as compared to FY11.
The reunion Class of 1962 presented a $1.13 million Class Gift to the College Fund — the largest reunion Class Gift ever given by a 50th-anniversary class. Also setting fundraising records for their respective reunions were the Classes of 1982, 1987 and 1992, and the Class of 1967 had the best fundraising year in its class history.
Recent alumni, representing the Classes of 1992–2001, raised more than $1.3 million, a 60 percent increase as compared to FY11. And the Young Alumni Fund, representing the Classes of 2002–2011, was well over its goal of $317,000 for the year, with almost $375,000 raised. This group also set a participation record with nearly 1,800 donors, an increase of about 370 from FY11.
Seniors, who are encouraged early to forge a connection with the College by giving back, showed their support as well. More than 750 participated in the Senior Fund — raising more than $17,000 — and 235 signed up for the Dean’s 3-2-1 Challenge, for which they agreed to give at least $20.12 for three years, to ask two friends to do the same and to have their gifts matched 1:1. (This year, Gene Davis ’75 matched the gifts.) By reaching its Senior Gift goal, the Senior Fund secured a $100,000 gift from Charles Santoro ’82 to the Columbia College Fund.
“The remarkable success of the College Fund is directly attributable to the outstanding leadership and generosity of alumni, parents, students and friends. Their dedication to alma mater helps make Columbia College the greatest undergraduate experience available in the world,” said Allen Rosso, executive director of the Columbia College Fund.
To make a gift to the Columbia College Fund in FY13, give by credit card at college.columbia.edu/giveonline or by calling 212-851-7488, or mail a check, payable to Columbia College Fund, to Columbia College Fund, Columbia Alumni Center, 622 W. 113th St., MC 4530, 3rd Fl., New York, NY 10025.