CREATING CONNECTIONS FINAL REPORT 2013
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
u
Lives of Con nsequence campaign was on the threshold of achieving its $425 million go oal, and many of its initiatives were well underway. Just five months later, in January 2012, the goal was met. Such success—despite the worst economic do ownturn since the Great Depression—can only be explained by pointing to thee unusually devoted alumni, parents, and friends of Amherst College. As we know, the story did not end there. When the campaign completed its work in June 2013, a record-setting $502 million had been raised in n support of Amherst’s need-blind financial aid policies, its increasingly diveerse student body, and faculty-student research opportunities. These gifts will be crritical to maintaining and advancing a residential liberal arts education of the caliberr Amherst offers. The Lives of Consequencee campaign also aimed to create conneections to strengthen Amherst’s mission. During the campaign, a stunning 86 percentt of alumni connected with students, faculty, and one another through acad demic, co-curricular, regional, and volunteer programming, as well as through mento oring and career pathway opportunities. Each of these intentional efforts to conneect, personally, with Amherst add up to increased opportunities and resources for ou ur students.
I am grateful to our trustees; to the Campaign Executive Co ommittee Co-chairs Brian J. Conway ’80, Hope E. Pascucci ’90, and Jide J. Zeeitlin ’85; to Chief Advancement Offi ficer Megan Morey and her team; and to our Amherst faculty and staff, whose dedication to our shared success exceeds all expectations. The campaign also owes an enormous amount to my predeecessor, Tony Marx. Finally, I extend my personal appreciation to all the volunteers, whose tireless efforts drove the campaign’s unprecedented success. Just as giving back is an Amherst tradition, so too is lookin ng forward. The Lives of Consequencee campaign called us to a common n purpose: to ensure that Amherst’s inspiring, personal approach to a liberal arts education remains life changing. Only if our work togetherr endures will Amherst remain able to provide access to all students of prromise, set the highest standards for teaching, and expand the frontiers off knowledge. Together, we can ensure that tomorrow’s graduates, like yeesterday’s, think broadly, deeply, and critically—and “give light” to all they do.
With warm regards,
Biddy Martin Amherst College President
AN EVENT TO REMEMBER
en
S EVENpTus, m a 1,46h3 c eld on were ntr y, the cou across und the and aro . world
a
m
s. pu
3
Over rse the cou ign, pa m a c of the
herst event on o Am ro ff c
18,64
d
an
Friday Campus bustled with attendees making their way among various workshops, tours, and lectures.
ents, and friends pa r att
al
n i, um
ed
THE CONCLUDING CELEBRATION LASTED ONLY A WEEKEND; the effects of Lives of Consequence: A Campaign for Amherst will be felt by Amherst students and alumni for generations. The Amherst community came together on that brief but intellectually vibrant weekend of September 20 and 21, 2013. From poster sessions on student science research to a point-counterpoint on affirmative action, from a panel discussion with new College administrators to a reading celebrating one of the nation’s preeminent poets, the attendees enjoyed plenty of food for thought—and more reasons than ever to be proud. The theme of the keynote address—imagining the future of the liberal arts and sciences—perhaps best sums up what the weekend meant: that the future depends on colleges such as Amherst to take the lead. As a result of Lives of Consequence, that future is in the strongest possible hands.
Saturday After two full days of events, Biddy Martin kicked off a party on the main quad to conclude the celebration.
LEARNING
TOGETHER Though the curriculum has changed numerous times since the 19th century, CLOSE STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTION HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CORNERSTONE OF AN AMHERST EDUCATION. This tradition will continue to flourish thanks
to the campaign’s emphasis on funding fellowships and academic internships that promote collaborative research. During the campaign, donors gave $3.2 million for student research, both to support existing funds and to endow new funds. Among these was the LINDEN FAMILY FUND, which provides stipends for students engaged in research, with a preference for students doing thesis work in history. To date, nearly 30 students have benefitted from the fund.
Among them was Ewelina Przybyszewski ’13, a history major studying the development of uranium mining within Kakadu National Park in Australia’s Northern Territory. She traveled to Sydney and Canberra to explore the national archives, collect oral histories in Darwin, and connect with various Aboriginal organizations in the
Kakadu area. “All of these opportunities to experience living history were possible because of the Linden Family Fund,” said Przybyszewski. Another recipient, Alex Bernstein ’13, visited Paris and Strasbourg to research the little-known history of Alsatians conscripted into the German army after the border areas between France and Germany
were annexed following the 1940 armistice. “Virtually none of the publications I needed were available through interlibrary loan in the United States,” said Bernstein.
“I am so grateful for the incredibly generous support from the Linden Family Fund.”
fitted from research opportunities funded by two ANDREW W. MELLON FOUNDATION grants awarded during the campaign. Both grants focused on strengthening facultystudent research in the humanities and social sciences, as well as developing a new model of collaborative research compatible with scholarly practices outside the sciences. Some Mellon
Tutorials introduced sophomores to the process of pursuing social science and humanities research, while others have been designed to help juniors connect potential theses projects to faculty research. Assistant Professor of English Christopher Grobe’s tutorial titled “American Performance Culture Circa 1900” utilized The M. Abbott Van Nostrand Theatre Collection. Housed in Archives and Special Collections, it contains the archives of the Samuel French Company, one of the only distributors of plays in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The tutorial led
Hannah Greenwald ’14 to uncover the long-forgotten scandal of Olga Nethersole (1867–1951), who was charged with criminal indecency for her onstage kissing style. Using other material from the archive, Jordan Hugh Sam ’14 examined the developing depiction of Asians on the American stage. The campaign also grew research opportunities for students in the sciences.
Chemistry major Mable Lam ’12 (pictured below) received funding to work in the lab of Professor Mark Marshall and his co-investigator, Professor Helen Leung, on a systematic study of intermolecular forces and interactions. Along with developing her skills as a scientist, Lam also coauthored a paper with Professors Marshall and Leung and attended the International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy. “I chose Amherst for the promise of close student-faculty interaction,” said Lam, now a doctoral candidate at the University of California San Francisco. “And that’s exactly what I found.”
The desire to make gifts of lasting import to students was a sentiment expressed by donors throughout the campaign. “Alumni, parents, and friends believe in the college’s tradition of learning through close colloquy,” said Megan Morey, chief advancement ȯ ̇cer. “And they understand the value of students being challenged by their classes, professors, and even their peers. Amherst is extraordinarily grateful for their generosity and support of student research.”
14,542 alumni connected virtually through the alumni directory or online programs
5,335 alumni connected with or mentored Amherst students
A CONNECTED COMMUNITY By every measure, the Lives of Consequence
experience for alumni and parents,” said Betsy Cannon Smith, ’84, P’15, alumni secretary and executive director of Alumni and Parent Programs. “Participants appreciate the chance to focus deeply on a subject for purely intellectual enjoyment—it’s a luxury you often lose after leaving college.”
campaign generated extraordinary numbers: 1,463 EVENTS, 18,643 ATTENDEES, 6,100 VOLUNTEERS, AND 5,335 ALUMNI-STUDENT INTERACTIONS. All of these impressive figures resulted from the Amherst Connects initiative, which recognized the
Likewise, alumni and parents have responded enthusiastically to new opportunities for networking with students.
many ways of giving while encouraging the close connections among the College, students, and alumni that are a hallmark of the Amherst experience. When Amherst Reads launched in September 2008,
it marked a new direction in connecting alumni—as well as parents and friends—with the intellectual life of the College. Developed by Alumni and Parent Programs, this monthly online book club featured selections from a searchable catalog of over 1,500 alumnior faculty-written books. Its success led to the Virtual Lecture Series, webinars
presented by Amherst professors and alumni that include real-time questions from listeners. Since 2009, the series has ŏ ̆ered 20 virtual lectures with topics ranging from economic perspectives on healthcare reform to globalizing Shakespeare. To date, more than 900 members of the Amherst community have “attended” a lecture. “We had long wanted to ŏ ̆er something akin to the classroom
Among these is Pathways, a mentoring program that connects students with alumni mentors willing to provide advice about exploring careers, navigating the Amherst landscape, and bridging the gap from Amherst to life after college. “Students are extremely excited about the possibilities of connecting. So are alumni: we had more than 600 alumni sign up to serve as mentors before the program formally launched to students,” said Cannon Smith. “Pathways is
Alumni Engagement by Category 2009
2010
Category
2011
2012
2013
# of alumni
Online
5,913
6,853
8,157
8,300
8,585
Feedback/ Feature
4,545
4,565
4,965
4,674
11,166
Events, Visits, and Programs
3,687
4,066
4,811
5,466
5,150
Volunteer
1,840
1,866
4,087
4,275
4,233
another example of the continuing Amherst tradition of alumni-student interaction and the passion and care our alumni have for making sure the Amherst experience continues for generations of students to come.” There’s more. An impressive 3,043 alumni and parents volunteered to help organize homecomings, reunions, and
regional association events, and to host events for incoming students during the campaign. In an overwhelming show of support for Amherst, they donated their time and energy to the Annual Fund and Alumni and Parent Programs, as well as to their respective classes. From the start, Amherst Connects aimed to build connections that would ripple
out long after the campaign concluded. “That goal was met and it truly is something g to celebrate,” said Megan Morey, chief advancement ȯ ̇cer. “We are inspired by the meaningful engagement opportunities facilitated by Amherst Connects in the College community.”
YOUR
ANNUAL GIFTS ADD UP The second most significant gift made to Amherst during the campaign has not been credited to one person, but to many: 16,207 people, to be precise.
needed during the course of the campaign to
Through the collective generosity and confidence fi
to the Annual Fund across a century
of alumni, parents, and friends, gifts to the Annual
demonstrated, the campaign’s supporters
Fund accounted for a total of $66 million in
proved anew: gifts of every size really do add
current-use campaign support for Amherst. Each
up (to $66 million, it turns out). Leadership in the
year, these gifts furthered campaign priorities
Annual Fund also adds up, from the 1,200-strong
including increasing financial aid, supporting
volunteer corps driving Amherst’s participation,
student research, strengthening the faculty,
to the 1,500+ members of the 1821 Society and
enhancing co-curricular programs, and investing
Noah Webster Circle whose gifts provide close
ensure today’s students and tomorrow’s leaders were receiving an education at Amherst of uninterrupted quality and value. What donors
in the care and improvement of our inspiring
to 80 percent of Annual Fund support, to the
campus. The campaign effort welcomed many
8,000 donors each year whose gifts of $100 or
new members to the 1821 Society and Noah
less allow nine students needing fi financial aid to
Webster Circle, and Young Alumni membership
attend Amherst. Through the Annual Fund,
at special levels has doubled. Classmates who
Amherst’s most generous, consistent, and
celebrated 25th and 50th Reunions also made
dedicated supporters gather in tremen-
remarkable, record-setting gifts to Amherst and
dous numbers each year to help achieve
the campaign. Overall reunion attendance—
Amherst’s foremost goal: to provide a liberal
combined with unprecedented reunion giving in
arts education of uncommon vision and purpose
response to Reunion Challenge incentives—helped
to the most promising students of each generation
provide the continuous annual support Amherst
so that they, in turn, may do the same tomorrow.
73% of alumni gave to the campaign
98% of whom gave through the Annual Fund
THE IMPACT OF YOUR GIFTS Donors to the Campaign
20,388
donors
5,000 first-time donors to Amherst
gave a total of
103,519 gifts
resulting in a total of
$502M
DURING THE LIVES OF CONSEQUENCE CAMPAIGN, 374 DONORS MADE LEADERSHIP GIFTS.
Whether they created expendable or endowed funds, their gifts are supporting Amherst and its students in essential—and innovative—ways. When Janna Behrens, director of international experience, first proposed study abroad peer advising, the idea was met with enthusiasm but funding wasn’t available. That changed a year later, thanks to an allocation from
THE ERIC R. HATTLER 1987 FUND FOR STUDENT LEADERSHIP. Hattler established the expendable fund in 2011 to support new initiatives relating to student leadership. It’s now creating diverse opportunities for students to help other students—and some exciting solutions to challenges facing colleges nationwide. Behrens was able to employ two seniors who provided study abroad information from a student perspective.
“One was an economics major who had studied in France.
The other was a geology major who did research in New Zealand,” said Behrens.
“We worked closely, and I treated them as paraprofessionals. They held drop-in hours and organized a variety of special events, all of which were well attended. In turn, they gained solid experience in the ¿eld of international education.”
The pilot was so successful that study abroad peer advising now is part of the annual budget. “The Hattler Fund made that possible,” said Behrens. “And this year we have three students working as peer advisors.”
Likewise, Amherst’s Keefe Health Center used the Hattler Fund to increase resources for—and by—students.
“We were able to bring Charles Morse, who developed the nationally recognized Student Support Network (SSN) program for suicide prevention, to campus for training sessions,” said Jessica Gĭ ̆ord, the college’s mental health educator. Health Services also was able to hire a graduate assistant, Abbey Nachman, to organize the ¿rst SSN cohort of 15 student leaders. Since then, six more cohorts have completed training.
Another recipient, the Dean of Students’ Office, used the Hattler Fund to provide peer mediation training for 16 student leaders. “We also were
able to hire a graduate intern to work on outreach regarding intellectual responsibility and keeping the trust in the classroom,” said Susie Mitton Shannon, interim assistant dean of students and dean of student conduct. “Our intern is enhancing online resources, including an interactive quiz, frequently asked questions, and
video testimonials from Amherst students. Having all those materials available has profoundly impacted our ability to serve students.” Hattler, who is general counsel of The Gores Group, a private equity group based in Los Angeles, wanted his gift to have precisely this sort of ĕ ̆ect. “I am pleased to help Amherst students who are willing and able to take on meaningful leadership roles in their community,” said Hattler. “And I hope that these leadership initiatives can be expanded over time.”
ANOTHER LEADERSHIP GIFT is enhancing the athletics experience for student-athletes and helping the Annual Fund increase access for talented students. It is a joint gift from Beth Foley Swanson ’96 and Brian C. Swanson ’94. The couple met at Amherst and now live in Chicago with their three children. As students, Beth and Brian were both hockey players— Beth on the field and Brian on the ice. They regard
athletics as integral to a wellrounded education and want to support the ¿eld and ice hockey teams in instilling the lessons they learned about teamwork, dedication, perseverance, and resilience to current student-athletes. Their gift also reÀ Àects their strong support for Amherst’s mission. Beth, Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s Deputy Chief
of Stă ̆ for Education, and Brian, a partner at the Bartlit Beck law ¿rm, came to Amherst from public schools, and they are committed to ĕ ̆orts to improve public school education.
“We believe in the transformative power of education and want to do our part to advance Amherst’s efforts to keep its doors open to students from all backgrounds,” Beth said.
The couple also wanted to make a gift without restrictions, which is why they directed a portion of their gift to the Annual Fund. “We
bene¿ ¿tted from Amherst’s commitment to a diverse and well-rounded student body, and we wanted to support that commitment.” Brian said. “We trust Amherst to use our gift in ways that remain true to its mission.”
HOW YOU DID IT
86% of alumni engaged with the College over the course of the campaign
$66M
in
Annual Fund giving
$202M the
$70M
for
endowment
scholarship and access
$103M for
for
facilities
230 endowed funds
scholarship and access
$27M
for
for
faculty and curricular support
272 donors became Johnson Chapel Associates by including Amherst in their estate plans
AN UNPRECEDENTED SHOW OF SUPPORT
ONE MONTH. TWO EXTRAORDINARY—AND UNRESTRICTED—GIFTS. In November 2009,
two Amherst graduates made separate pledges of $100 million and $25 million. The gifts are the largest in the history of Amherst College, and the $100 million gift is believed to be the largest unrestricted cash donation ever to a liberal arts college.
Both gifts were made anonymously. And the timing could not have been more profound. A year earlier,
the Lives of Consequence campaign had launched against a backdrop of declining equity markets, rising unemployment, and growing unease about the economy.
“The signi¿ i¿cance of these gifts cannot be overstated,” said Kevin Weinman, chief ¿nancial ȯcer. “They bolstered the endowment right when it needed it the most, as global investment markets were experiencing precipitous declines. Most importantly, these gifts will live forever. As unrestricted gifts to the endowment, they will provide signi¿ ¿cant, growing, and permanent support to the annual operating budget.
Along with expressing gratitude for the opportunities that an Amherst education provides, the donor of the $100 million gift noted the challenges posed by the economic downturn. “I hope other alumni will be inspired to further support the College, at a time when the economy is stressing the resources of all higher educational institutions. Amherst is a jewel of enlightenment, social mobility based on talent, and preparation for leadership that we must all maintain.” In a separate statement, the donor of the $25 million gift spoke of Amherst’s mission and core values: “This gift is to support Amherst College’s commitment to providing the ¿nest quality undergraduate education, and to provide access to students of extraordinary
potential, regardless of their ability to pay, enabling them to lead the lives of consequence to which we all aspire.” The immense generosity of these donors did inspire other gifts of all sizes and allowed the campaign to far surpass its original goal. At a campus-
wide campaign celebration in September, President Biddy Martin highlighted the two anonymous donations and all they accomplished. “These remarkable unrestricted gifts supported each of the campaign’s priorities,” said Martin. “They helped maintain the College’s need-blind ¿nancial aid policies while helping Amherst support its increasingly diverse student body and foster faculty-student research opportunities. Their impact is immeasurable and will help shape Amherst’s future.”
Endowment as of June 30, 2013 Total endowment
Annual draw on endowment (three-year average)
Return on endowment (annual, past 20 years)
Endowment-per-student increase over the course of the campaign
$1,823,748,000
4.6%
12.4%
30.4%
Cumulative Endowment Return for Period June 30, 1995 to June 30, 2013 1000 800 600
Amherst College Cambridge Associates-Median E&F Returns* Market Benchmark**
400 200 0
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
*Avg. 135 peer institutions **60% S&P 500 Index / 40% Barclays Aggregate Bond Index Returns are rebased to 1995.
2008 TO
2013
LIVES OF CONSEQUENCE CAMPAIGN
CAMPAIGN LEADERSHIP The Campaign Executive Committee
Campaign Regional Leadership
Campaign Co-Chairs
Brian J. Conway ’80 Hope E. Pascucci ’90 Jide J. Zeitlin ’85
Kevin J. Conway ’80, P’17, ’15, ’12, ’10 Steven M. Gluckstern ’72 John S. Middleton ’77 Barry S. Volpert ’81, P’14
Honorary Chairs
International
Charles Ashby Lewis ’64, P’93 H. Axel Schupf ’57, P’87, ’81, G’12
David A. Novak ’91, Chair
At-Large
Mid-Atlantic
Alumni Fund Chairs
Leo P. Arnaboldi III ’81, P’17, ’14 Aimee L. Carroll ’99 Christine Noyer Seaver ’81, P’14, ’11
Todd J. Albert, M.D. ’83, P’15, Co-Chair David J. Field ’84, Co-Chair Midwest
Douglas C. Grissom ’89, Chair
Amherst Connects Chairs
Anne Melissa Dowling ’80 Laura J. Yerkovich ’80
New England
Communications Chair
New York City
Cullen Murphy ’74
David L. Moore ’78, Chair
Gift Planning Chair
Southeast
Charles R. Longsworth ’51, P’85
S. Lawrence Kahn III ’68, P’97, Chair
Parents’ Fund Chairs
West
Carol S. and Bruce D. Angiolillo ’74, P’08, ’04 Pamela R. and Alejandro E. Camacho P’14, ’12 Joanne W. and Paul T. Schnell ’76, P’11
Douglas D. Abbey ’71, P’11,’10, Chair
Philip J. Edmundson ’80, P’10, Chair
CREATING CONNECTIONS
Amherst College Advancement PO Box 5000 Amherst, MA 01002-5000 amherst.edu/campaign