In October we publicly launched Every Carl for Carleton, a fund-raising campaign with a goal of $400 million. A successful campaign will provide additional scholarship dollars for students with financial need, help us build a new interdisciplinary science facility, support faculty members as they develop new courses and research opportunities for students, and allow Carleton to keep faith with its graduates as we prepare students for life after Carleton. The campaign also aims to grow the Alumni Annual Fund to $10 million per year.
We are confident in our ability to reach this ambitious goal, but we shall need the help of Carleton alumni, parents, and friends to do so. Indeed, philanthropy is the lifeblood of Carleton’s continued success and its distinction among private liberal arts colleges. Everything that our college has achieved to date—and will achieve in the future—can be traced to the generosity and support of individuals and organizations who understand and believe in Carleton’s mission.
The passion that moves Carls to support Carleton varies. One donor might say, “I want to make sure that Carleton is accessible to low- and middle-income students in an era when financial aid is increasingly essential.” Another donor might opine, “Carleton is great at producing a disproportionate number of scientists, especially women scientists, so I want to make sure that strength remains for the next generation by contributing to faculty and student research.” And yet another might declare, “Every student deserves the opportunity to accept an internship or externship without worrying about finances.” Their reasons for giving are different, but all donors ultimately help us ensure that the best kinds of student learning take place and that Carleton achieves academic excellence
in perpetuity.
The Every Carl for Carleton campaign is an important milestone in the college’s history. Since its founding in 1866, Carleton has not wavered in its commitment to providing superb undergraduate education. That is why we call again on every Carl to help Carleton remain distinctively strong.
The priorities we have set for this campaign—scholarships, life and career preparation for our graduates, leading faculty, research opportunities for students and faculty members, and a larger annual fund—grow directly out of our Strategic Plan. These investments preserve unique strengths Carleton already has and make us stronger in new ways that directly benefit current and future students. They are, in a word, essential.
We are calling this campaign Every Carl for Carleton because every gift truly matters. We recognize that not everyone has the same means, but it is imperative that all Carls who love the college and recognize its importance step forward in whatever way they can. Each gift lays a foundation and creates a pattern of giving that leads donors deeper into the life of the college. These gifts—no matter their size—establish a meaningful legacy and safeguard Carleton’s future.
Furthermore, the act of all of us joining together to support Carleton yields enormous power. It affirms our commitment to Carleton and acknowledges that we’ve all benefited from the generosity of previous donors.
There are moments in the life of an institution when we need to turn to the entire community—alumni, parents, faculty and staff members—to ask for help in ensuring that we can carry out its core responsibility to educate young people and push back the boundaries of knowledge. This is one of those moments. Please join with us to help Carleton realize its dreams.