From The Campaign Chair

Extraordinary. That’s how I describe the response to Cornell College’s campaign, as well as its impact on the college.

As chair of the Extraordinary Opportunities Campaign, I am grateful for the extremely generous support of alumni and friends. Despite a deep recession, more than 8,000 of you contributed $105.8 million toward a goal of $92 million. Never before has a national liberal arts college in Iowa topped $100 million in a campaign.

The Extraordinary Opportunities Campaign has ended, bringing a new beginning to Cornell College. The generosity of our alumni and friends has allowed us to improve the quality of life and education available to Cornell students. Through the campaign, Cornell College has redefined liberal arts education in the 21st century. We set our sights high and achieved a grand goal. We are bullish on our future as one of the nation’s best colleges, and thanks to our longstanding and continued commitment to innovation, I am confident that we will continue to flourish.

Our new beginning is also a transition year for Cornell. I was very pleased with the quality of applicants we received to succeed President Emeritus Les Garner. We are very happy to welcome Doane College President Jonathan Brand as our president on July 1, 2011. Meanwhile, Interim President Jim Brown and the senior administration are moving ahead confidently with plans to pursue growth of the college while maintaining the hallmark of a Cornell education—a culture of strong student-faculty interaction.

These are exciting times for Cornell. Neither Cornell’s strong reputation nor its expanded academic programs and renovated facilities would be possible without your support. Many challenges and opportunities remain for Cornell and we must continue to engage with our alumni to forward important initiatives.

Thank you for your belief in this college and for allowing us to be all that we are.