2019–2020
ANNUAL REPORT Celebrating the Impact of the Keep the Promise Campaign
DEAR CAMPUS COMMUNITY, We did it! Ursinus College proudly surpassed the $100 million goal for our Keep the Promise comprehensive campaign—a truly historic achievement that coincided with a remarkable sesquicentennial anniversary milestone. While the 2019-20 academic year was not without hardship—indeed, the global pandemic had a profound impact on the college—we persevered. And we did it TOGETHER. For 150 years, the unwavering loyalty, commitment and generosity of the Ursinus community have been a distinctive hallmark. We have accomplished so much together. Our alumni, faculty, staff, parents, students and friends have always remained nimble and put the interests of Ursinus first. This means digging deep and going above and beyond, whenever we’ve been called to do so. The profound devotion of our Bears was also a recurring theme of Keep the Promise, which we formally concluded on June 30, after eight years and $107 million raised. More than 14,300 donors came together to support the college during the campaign, with nearly 7,700 making a gift for the very first time. The power of that collective effort can be felt across campus—in our Innovation and Discovery Center and the Schellhase Commons; through our new student programs, which foster experiential learning; in the form of 65 new named scholarships; and through increased funding for the enrichment of our faculty. All of this—and much, much more— was built by the hands of the many who came together to donate to Keep the Promise. The 2019-20 academic year was a moment to acknowledge our many achievements. It represented the culmination of so much anticipation, energy, efforts and benevolence. We have persevered and, as we look toward the future, we are poised to broaden our appeal as both a leader and an innovator within the liberal arts higher education landscape. In this annual report, we highlight the progress made, both during the 2019-20 academic year and over the course of the Keep the Promise campaign. We thank you again for your dedication to this great college. YOU have been integral to our success, and we’re looking forward to building on it now and in the future. We are all “Bears for Life.”
Brock Blomberg President
Jill Leauber Marsteller ’78, P’18 Senior Vice President for Advancement
601 E. Main Street Collegeville, Pa. 19426 (610) 409-3000 ursinus.edu PRESIDENT Brock Blomberg SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR ADVANCEMENT Jill Leauber Marsteller ’78 P’18 CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER Tom Yencho EDITORS Jacqueline D’Ercole and Ed Moorhouse CREATIVE DIRECTOR Dominic Monte GRAPHIC DESIGNER Erica Gramm CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Mary Lobo ’15 and Jennifer Meininger Wolfe PHOTOGRAPHY Jeff Fusco, Stu Goldenberg, Dan Z. Johnson, Dominic Monte and Jim Roese
TABLE OF CONTENTS P. 4–5
Celebrating 150 P. 6–9
Promises Kept: A Campaign Summary P. 10–11
Virtual Reality P. 12–15
Investing in Our People P. 16–19
Investing in Our Places P. 20–23
Investing in Our Programs P. 24–27
Fiscal Year in Review Thank you to all of those who supported Ursinus during Keep the Promise and in 2019–20. @ursinuscollege
Visit ursinus.edu/support-uc to continue the tradition of generosity.
CELEBRATING 150 YEARS If one word could be chosen to aptly describe Ursinus College’s historic, yearlong sesquicentennial celebration, it would be one that is perhaps the most indicative of an Ursinus experience—a word that brings all of us together: community. So, without coincidence, the small, liberal arts college that for a century-and-a-half prided itself on being a “hidden gem” and a
“best-kept secret” burst open its doors and welcomed more than 1,500 Ursinus families, friends and neighbors during 150 Fest in September 2019, a birthday celebration for the ages featuring live music, games, vendors and much more. The festive spirit carried on throughout the academic year during a series of events designed to pay tribute to the college’s rich history and how far the institution has come.
Sesquicentennial Highlights Caret-right
Homecoming and Family Weekend, in which alumni from decades past took part in a special “cheers to 150 years,” amid milestone class reunions.
Caret-right
The Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art celebrated its 30th anniversary with a performance art piece, Music for 150 Carpenters, which brought members of the community together as performers. It later became a months-long exhibition in the museum’s main gallery.
Caret-right
Professor of Theater Domenick Scudera wrote an original play, The Complete History of Ursinus College [Abridged], which brought the college’s history to life on stage.
Caret-right
Ursinus alumna Lisa Minardi ’04 curated the very special ROOTS: Ursinus College and the Pennsylvania Germans exhibition at the new Center for Pennsylvania German Studies in Trappe, Pa.
Caret-right
New commemorative signage was unveiled in each academic space—such as Olin Hall and the Myrin Library—to celebrate innovation and achievement throughout Ursinus history. Each academic department was celebrated during community-building tours for faculty and staff known as “bear crawls.”
Caret-right
On Founders Day, February 5, 2020, Ursinus faculty, staff and students participated in the Fire & Ice Festival, as well as “Founders Feud,” a trivia game held in upper Wismer Center that tested participants’ knowledge of Ursinus history.
2019–2020 Ursinus Annual Report 5
PROMISES KEPT: A CAMPAIGN SUMMARY Eight years. One hundred million dollars. When the Keep the Promise campaign formally launched in a silent phase back in 2012, the journey to its successful culmination seemed like a massive undertaking. After months of planning, the goals of this comprehensive campaign were broad, yet absolutely necessary in order to ensure Ursinus College’s continued strength at this critical juncture in our history—the celebration of our sesquicentennial and the first steps into our next 150 years. The Keep the Promise campaign’s three stated priority areas were designed to impact nearly every reach of the college—Advance Academic Innovation, Invest in Student Success and Ignite the Power of Our People. To advance academic innovation, we would build a new, flagship interdisciplinary science education facility, bridging the gap between Pfahler and Thomas Halls while also bringing cuttingedge technologies to campus. We would also raise crucial resources for our three academic centers: the Parlee Center for Science and the Common Good, the Melrose Center for Global Civic Engagement and the U-Imagine Center for Integrative and Entrepreneurial Studies. Underscoring our commitment to our students, we put substantial efforts into investing in their success in a breadth of ways. This included building out our scholarship and financial aid offerings to help bring them to our Collegeville campus, developing our curriculum and academic programs to emphasize experiential learning, and supporting our faculty who, in turn, impart their insight and passion for knowledge onto students. Over the course of the campaign,
our donors helped us to create 65 new named scholarship funds; established student enrichment initiatives; amplified our internship, externship, study abroad and Summer Fellows programs; and invested in our new PhillyX semester-away opportunity. Finally, by igniting the power of our people, we challenged our Bears to step up as a collective in support of our Annual Fund. Through the contributions of many—large and small—the annual operating expenses of our college were boosted, with an infusion of resources for entities such as the Berman Museum of Art; music, theater and the arts; student and faculty research; diversity and multicultural affairs initiatives; the Myrin Library; and our athletics programs. While a $100 million goal felt ambitious back in 2012, we are thrilled not only to have met our initial target, but also to have exceeded it by $7 million. The impact of Keep the Promise is immense and clearly evident from the moment a person first sets foot upon Ursinus’s campus. And there is more than meets the eye, as demonstrated by our new, enhanced core curriculum, our expanded financial aid program, our world-class faculty, and our many programs that support the growth and development of our students. In all ways, Keep the Promise has proven to be the most successful campaign in Ursinus College history.
“
While a $100 million goal felt ambitious back in 2012, we are thrilled not only to have met our initial target, but also to have exceeded it by $7 million. The impact of Keep the Promise is immense and clearly evident from the moment a person first sets foot upon Ursinus’s campus.
”
2019–2020 Ursinus Annual Report 7
Meet the Campaign Co-Chairs Bill Barnaby ’64 and Peg Williams ’80
“
Seeing just how much the college has changed from the days when I was a student, and meeting today’s students who are driven [and] talented, and thoughtful academics has made me extremely proud of my alma mater.
”
The success of a campaign of the magnitude of Keep the Promise rests largely upon the shoulders of the volunteers and leaders who serve as champions and ambassadors for the college. As members of the board of trustees and campaign co-chairs, Margaret “Peg” A. Williams ’80 and William H. Barnaby ’64 took the reins of Ursinus’s eightyear $100 million fundraising endeavor. They provided insight regarding priorities, rallied additional volunteers, encouraged donations and provided overall guidance and insight to college administration, all while watching the campus experience unprecedented growth. For both Barnaby and Williams, that kind of impact proved deeply personal. “Seeing just how much the college has changed from the days when I was a student,
and meeting today’s students who are driven [and] talented, and thoughtful academics has made me extremely proud of my alma mater,” Williams says. Barnaby agrees, reflecting on his own experience as a student. “Ursinus in my era was a good, but rather provincial school, and in the intervening 55 years has been innovative in expanding the curriculum and experience.” He says the campaign builds upon the college’s strong tradition in the liberal arts, and both believe Keep the Promise has positioned Ursinus well for the future. Barnaby says, “Keep the Promise has brought a renewed sense of energy and optimism to the college and confidence that we can achieve the goal of becoming a first-choice institution while maintaining the tradition of providing a first-rate and intimate small-college residential experience.”
Campaign Outcomes Overall goal
$100 million Public launch Conclusion
October 2016–June 2020 Total raised
$107 million Donors to date
Number of first-time donors
Number of alumni donors
Number of parent donors
14,326 7,670 6,450 4,719 Total raised for the endowment
$28 million Total raised for endowed faculty funds
$9.6 million 2019–2020 Ursinus Annual Report 9
VIRTUAL REALITY As winter turned to spring, a vibrant academic year marked by milestone celebrations abruptly shifted online as our community tackled the global COVID-19 pandemic. Students who were on spring break were forced to stay home to complete the semester through online learning, a majority of Ursinus staff began working remotely, and Ursinus traditions such as Alumni Weekend and Commencement were canceled or postponed.
While we may not have been physically together in Collegeville, the Ursinus spirit was certainly ignited in all corners of the Internet, proving that for our Bear community, home is never too far away. Despite the challenges, we persevered and adapted, proving resilient, and coming together to produce a number of creative and successful virtual events.
Caret-right
The Class of 2020 was celebrated during a virtual commencement ceremony, featuring photos and personal reflections from students, remarks from astronaut Christina Koch, and well wishes from 80 faculty and staff members.
Caret-right
Prospective Ursinus students and their families had a chance to participate in an Online Admitted Students Experience over three days, during which they took part in live student panels and connected with academic departments in order to guide their college decision from the comfort of their homes. Our entire campus community again rose above and beyond to reach 459 total deposits.
Caret-right
Students showcased their academic work though the annual Celebration of Student Achievement (CoSA), held entirely online for the very first time, and the Berman Museum of Art turned its website into a digital space for the Annual Student Exhibition, while senior student-athletes were honored on athletics social media channels.
Caret-right
Ursinus students in the U-Imagine Center’s Digital Spark program worked remotely to assist Montgomery County businesses impacted by the state’s shutdown, bringing their technological savviness and insights to help business owners use and leverage technology.
Bears Helping Bears The Bear2Bear Student Emergency Fund is a fully donor-funded initiative that provides special grants to students who are facing temporary financial hardship as a result of an emergency or crisis. In 2019-20, the fund was expanded to offer completion grants for senior students at risk for not being able to graduate due to financial circumstances. Due to the pandemic, the spring 2020 Bear2Bear Benefit & Bash was moved online as a fully digital experience. And the Ursinus community stepped up in a big way. In total, more than $220,000 was raised from sponsorships, gifts and a mobile auction, topping last year’s fundraising outcome.
The 2019 Bear2Bear Benefit & Bash
Bear2Bear by the Numbers (through June 30, 2020) Total cash gifts and securities received
Total disbursed from the fund
Total disbursed for emergency funding
Total disbursed in completion grants
$705,841.05 $196,748.57 $187,948.57 $8,800.00 # of applications received
152
Total awards
Average award amount
92 $2,138.57
Bears Share Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is in high demand during the COVID-19 pandemic and Ursinus Bears are doing their part to help. History major Tiffini Eckenrod ’20 used 3D-printing technology and worked with Entrepreneur-in-Residence Maureen Cumpstone ’79 and professors Casey Schwarz and Lisa Grossbauer to provide local health organizations with 60 adjustable head pieces that are used to keep plastic shields in place on users’ faces. Additionally, science and art and art history faculty provided unused equipment, like masks and gloves, to frontline health workers. 2019–2020 Ursinus Annual Report 11
INVESTING IN OUR
People
Leading by Example Kevyn Dewees ’22 Kevyn Dewees ’22 grew up in Huntingdon Valley, Pa., before coming to Ursinus as a member of the first cohort of Abele Scholars, a program that assists students with financial aid and funding for college start-up costs (such as the purchase of a laptop) and academically enriching pursuits (such as internships or academic conferences). But beyond that, there’s a lesson every Abele Scholar learns upon being accepted into the program: the importance of paying it forward. “I think all of [the scholars] have the mindset that since we were given this opportunity through the program, we need to one
day give back to provide someone else with an opportunity,” Dewees says. Dewees, a neuroscience major, says she has experienced growth as a student and a person thanks in large part to the support the program provides. She hopes to play a mentorship role for scholars in future cohorts, as well as other Ursinus students.
both in the few months leading up to college, as well as throughout my first two years here. There are so many people behind the scenes who are pushing us to do our best and strive for success.”
She says her own cohort is like family and the close-knit group is there to support each other personally and academically. “The Abele Scholars Program has been instrumental in making me feel supported
The Abele Scholars Program In January 2020, Will Abele ’61, Joan Abele, and the Abele Family Foundation committed the largest gift in Ursinus College history—$11 million to support the long-term vitality of the Abele Scholars Program. It aims to support approximately 18 students every year from
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. The scholars receive funding valued at $65,000 to address the costs of a college education, including tuition and room and board, while assisting with student debt upon graduation.
Abele Scholars by the Numbers Number of Abele Scholars through the 2019–20 academic year
22
Total tuition support disbursed to Abele Scholars to date
Total financial support available to each Abele Scholar (over 4 years) valued at
$300,000* $65,000 *As of June 30, 2020, not including Class of 2024 cohort
An Advocate for Student Success Simara Price Everywhere you turn at Ursinus, students are making a difference. Case in point: “In response to the current racial tensions, unprompted, [one Abele Scholar] organized and recruited other students, faculty and staff to speak out against racism and and stand up for what they would like to se in our own Ursinus community in promoting a more inclusive and equitable environment,” says Simara Price, an assistant professor of biology and member of the Abele Scholars Selection Committee. Those actions, Price says, exemplify the unique combination of traits sought in Abele Scholars: maturity, resilience, leadership and a pay-it-forward mindset to effect change that will benefit others. Price says the program is significant because it aims to lift the students above barriers to a quality undergraduate experience and with regard to personal
positive implications on retention of students in STEM majors—these connections also help to build community amongst Ursinus students and faculty circumventing feelings of otherness.”
growth, “the Abele Scholars Program is also invested in the social and cultural capital that is often overlooked in attempts to provide support to students.” Beyond the Abele Scholars, Price is codirector of the Parlee Center for Science and the Common Good and leads the FUTURE program, which provides research opportunities to students traditionally underserved in STEM. Through FUTURE, she says, the students “have the opportunity to get to know faculty and participate in intensive research with student researchers. While at a minimum having connections within the sciences has shown to have
She also serves as assistant dean of the college for academic transitions, supporting efforts like FUTURE, the Crigler program and the NSFfunded Supporting Inclusive Excellence program focused on success in biology, neuroscience, and biochemistry and molecular biology, led by Kate Goddard. She also is a member of the Bear2Bear Committee. “I work with all of the directors and coordinators to help support their needs such as coordinating with admissions, sitting on selection committees, helping with programming and promoting these amazing programs to prospective students. And of course, my favorite part is that I get to know most of the students.”
Academic Research by the Numbers Total amount of submitted and awarded grants in FY20
$2.27 million Year in Review Highlights Caret-right
A two-year, $154,000 grant awarded by the American Heart Association supports research relating to cardiovascular disease in Prof. Stephen Kolwicz’s HaMM lab in the IDC.
Caret-right
The NIH funded Prof. Dale Cameron’s research on “misfolded proteins,” which cause neurodegenerative diseases in humans, for $419,373.
2019–2020 Ursinus Annual Report 13
The Impact of Scholarship Support... James Barrett ’64 and Irmgard “Amy” Barrett Alumnus James P. Barrett ’64 knows firsthand the power of a liberal arts education, even for those looking to pursue a career in the sciences. Barrett, a retired physician who specialized in interventional pain management, reaped the benefits of the college’s interdisciplinary approach as a student himself more than 55 years ago. “As a first year, I was exposed to discriminative thinking and details of mitochondrial function under the tutelage of Dr. Levie van Dam,” says Barrett. “A second chapter comprised of lessons in written communication that became the underpinning for scientific documentation. A basic understanding of economics and a business model was a third transformative element: all lessons introduced at Ursinus.” Rather than develop a narrow view of academics, Barrett thrived through the broad foundation of knowledge that he developed at Ursinus—today still a central tenet of the college’s educational ethos. Wanting to give back for today’s students, Barrett and his wife, Amy, established the James P. and Irmgard H. Barrett Scholarship in Neuroscience in 2014. “It is my wish that scholarship recipients will be inspired to use their intellectual gifts to contribute both to the fund of knowledge around neuroscience and to the benefit of humanity,” says Barrett.
The Barretts have made a point of meeting their scholarship recipients, and have formed special relationships with a few of them, including Gwendylan Gagne ’22, a neuroscience major from Reading, Pa. Through the close bond they share, the Barretts have been able to offer support and mentorship as Gagne navigates her own undergraduate journey. Their view of Ursinus College has now come full circle.
Supporting Our Students
65
new endowed or Annual Fund Scholarships have been established since the start of the Keep the Promise campaign.
Total raised for endowed scholarships & student support
Over $18.2 million has been raised for the Annual Fund, which has surpassed its original target of sustaining $2 million per year.
Total raised for Annual Fund Scholarship Fund
$7.4 million $4.2 million Total number of donors to Annual Fund Scholarship Fund
2,014
Total raised over the six-year history of #Giving2UCday
$1.27 million
...Blooms in Both Directions Gwendylan Gagne ’22 For Gwendylan Gagne ’22, the Ursinus College experience has been defined by the personal connections she has made—with her peers, her professors and her benefactors. “The most exciting aspect of my time at Ursinus so far has been being able to interact with and learn from all our knowledgeable and amazing faculty,” says Gagne, a junior neuroscience major and Japanese minor. “Being able to study under people who are so successful and innovative has really inspired me throughout my time at Ursinus.” Pictured: James Barrett ’64 (third from left) and wife, Amy Barrett (third from right) pose with students (from left to right) McKayla Lefkove ’22, Rahsaan Sailes ’22, Evan Yanagawa ’22 and Gwendylan Gagne ’22 at the annual Scholarship Celebration on Founders Day, February 5, 2020.
Gagne has relished that oneon-one engagement, and knows it is an aspect of an Ursinus education that she may not have been exposed to elsewhere. She says, “Ursinus is unique in that the faculty is invested in both your future as well as your current success
and well-being, creating a supportive environment that many other schools lack.” As a recipient of the James P. and Irmgard H. Barrett Scholarship in Neuroscience, Gagne has also forged a relationship with her donors, Jim ’64 and Amy Barrett. Since first meeting at a college event last winter, they’ve remained in contact and the Barretts have offered not only friendship, but also mentorship to Gagne. “I look up to them for guidance and as role models as I progress throughout my time in college and explore career options,” she says. Gagne is interested in a career in science research, and so she plans to pursue a master’s and possibly a doctorate after her time at the college. She is inspired to make an impact in the scientific community and Ursinus is preparing her well for that promising future.
Year in Review Highlights Caret-right
This year, the Ursinus community was aiming for its highest participation rate ever for #Giving2UCday, hoping to reach 1,869 donors as a nod to the year of the founding of the college. Ursinus reached a final tally of 1,953 donors with gifts totaling over $376,000.
Caret-right
Tommy Armstrong ’20 and Garrett Bullock ’20 were selected for the prestigious Thomas J. Watson Fellowship, which fosters international research opportunities.
Caret-right
U.S. News and World Report ranked Ursinus 82nd among national liberal arts colleges, marking an eight-spot improvement from 2019, its largest jump in years.
Caret-right
Teresa Ko was named a fellow of the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS), which supports research projects in the humanities.
Caret-right
Ursinus honored the first recipients of its Inclusion and Equity Awards: Prof. Carlita Favero, Institute for Inclusion and Equity Director Ashley Henderson, and Cody Yhap ’20.
2019–2020 Ursinus Annual Report 15
INVESTING IN OUR
Places
The Community Builder Heather Lobban-Viravong Service opportunities, internships, community outreach, volunteerism and economic development are just a few ways that Ursinus plays a vital role as a member of a larger community. In 2019-20, the college continued to open its doors to families in Collegeville and throughout Montgomery County, solidifying itself as a destination campus in the region. One of the Ursinus leaders charged with invigorating community spirit is Heather Lobban-Viravong, vice president for college and community engagement. “As a member of a larger community, Ursinus has a responsibility to support and help in whatever ways it can, but we should never imagine that the relationship is one-sided,” she says. “We gain just as much as we give. Not only do we gain in knowledge, but we also gain thought partners and an extra layer of support should we face a challenging situation.” The relationship between a college and its surrounding region, she says, is important because they each have resources from which an entire community can benefit—not only now but in the future. “Over the past two years, Ursinus has grown to become more of a positive force in the community because we’ve put renewed
“
We gain just as much as we give. Not only do we gain in knowledge, but we also gain thought partners and an extra layer of support should we face a challenging situation.
”
energy and commitment into re-establishing meaningful partnerships with borough leaders, the Collegeville Economic Development Corporation, the Perkiomen Valley Chamber of Commerce, health and safety professionals and the surrounding school districts,” says Lobban-Viravong, who sits on the college’s community relations committee and also oversees the student affairs division, as well as inclusion initiatives like the Institute for Inclusion and Equity and the Diversity Action Resource Team. She says that in the coming years, the relationship between Ursinus and the community will continue to thrive. “There is a core group of folks on campus who are dedicated to making community connections and finding more avenues for collaboration whenever possible to do so.”
Continuing a Legacy of Bear Pride Pat Curry ’01 If a college’s alumni base is the foundation for philanthropy and mentorship, then Ursinus is standing on solid ground. For proof, look no further than Pat Curry ’01, perhaps the proudest of all Bears; an alumnus who puts current students first. “I am who I am today because of my UC experience,” says Curry, a volunteer wrestling coach who is vice president of a family-owned flooring business. “Ursinus has been like an extended family over the past 20-plus years. As far as my time as a wrestler at Ursinus, the sport and this college have taught me how to grow as a person, how to become stronger mentally and physically, and how to help others be successful both on and off the mat.” He says the people at the college and in the wrestling community have a “shirt off their back” mentality, one that he’s adopted as he’s hired students at his business (it’s important, he says, “for them to learn about hard work and labor”) and remained active in the alumni community. “I feel with the passing of Coach (Bill Racich), I have a responsibility to keep the legacy of the Ursinus wrestling program while helping the program move forward,” he says. Racich, whom Curry had known since age 4, passed away in 2018. Last fall, the William Racich Room for Wrestling Excellence in Helfferich Gym was named in his honor. “Coach Racich was my mentor, my coach, my big brother and my best friend. We traveled all over the world … In 2013, we were the coaches of the U.S. international team that had the opportunity to travel to Bulgaria and compete against some of the best in the world.” Curry doesn’t consider himself a mentor, but he cherishes the opportunity to inspire. “I am just looking to help the student-athletes be the best they can be both on and off the mat, in society [and] to each other. I want them to be successful at everything they do not just as a wrestler, but in life,” he says. “The look of pride in their eyes is everything you could ask for as a coach, mentor and friend.”
“
I am who I am today because of my UC experience. Ursinus has been like an extended family over the past 20-plus years. As far as my time as a wrestler at Ursinus, the sport and this college have taught me how to grow as a person, how to become stronger mentally and physically, and how to help others be successful both on and off the mat.
” 2019–2020 Ursinus Annual Report 17
Bears in the Community Number of ongoing partnerships with nonprofit or community organizations
35
Number of students involved in the UC LIVE Vocational Discernment Internship Program
37
Percentage of Ursinus students involved in community service
65%
Estimated total service time for all Ursinus students this past academic year
23,752 hours Campaign Outcomes Caret-right
The $29 million Innovation and Discovery Center opened in fall 2018 and offers 42,500 square feet of space for students studying at the intersection of science, policy and entrepreneurship. Four hundred eighty-seven donors raised $11.9 million for the IDC, which earned a 2019 Montgomery Award for high quality planning and design.
Caret-right
In fall 2019, Ursinus unveiled the newly resurfaced Eleanor Frost Snell Alumnae Field (thanks to a $1 million bequest from Adele Boyd ’53) and dedicated the William Racich Room for Wrestling Excellence in memory of the late wrestling coach Bill Racich. The Jules Racich Wrestling Coach Endowment was also created to support the hiring of a full-time wrestling coach at the college.
Caret-right
Completed in spring 2020 at the intersection of Main Street and Fifth Avenue, the Schellhase Commons is a vital connector to the local community and a hub for campus activity, complete with a coffeehouse, bookstore and a “home base” for our admissions team. It is named in honor of Rev. Richard T. Schellhase ’45 and Kay Schellhase ’57.
Year in Review Highlights Caret-right
In a nod to the college’s growing efforts to become an even better community partner, the Perkiomen Valley Chamber of Commerce named Ursinus College its Large Business of the Year during its annual PV Stars Best of the Valley Gala.
Caret-right
Hundreds of people from the surrounding community came to campus and the Berman Museum to celebrate with Ursinus during its Moon Party and the debut of the Berman’s innovative Science Fiction exhibition.
Caret-right
Ursinus launched its Campus Master Plan, establishing a flexible framework that allows the college to focus on projects that support the innovative academic and cocurricular programs that define the Ursinus experience.
2019–2020 Ursinus Annual Report 19
INVESTING IN OUR
Programs
The Career Champion Sharon Hansen
Working to prepare more than 1,500 students for success beyond Ursinus is no small task. Sharon Hansen not only leads her staff in career and post-graduate development (CPD) to do exactly that, but this year she was also such an impactful force beyond our campus borders that the Perkiomen Valley Chamber of Commerce, an organization for which she serves on the board of directors, recognized her as its “Business Star of the Year.” As a member of the community relations committee, Hansen strives to build connections between the college and local businesses. “These mutually beneficial relationships have helped businesses grow and provided Ursinus students and graduates with internships and jobs,” Hansen says. She also relies on the college’s dedicated alumni network to create opportunities for students. “Alumni are key partners in helping students envision and realize meaningful lives and be successful in their future endeavors,” she says. In addition to returning to campus as speakers, serving on our employer advisory board and participating in career panels and the annual Job, Internship and Networking Fair, alumni also sponsor externships, which are short jobshadow experiences.
When the pandemic hit, Hansen and her team needed to pivot— quickly. “Our first task was to make sure that we were still accessible to students,” says Hansen. The result was a list of virtual opportunities such as resume workshops and career coaching meetings with alumni. CPD also launched a weekly newsletter that included tips on how to find remote opportunities and what to do in the event of a canceled internship. What’s more, every member of the Class of 2020 who has not reported themselves as employed or in graduate/professional school, will receive a personal phone call from CPD to help determine their next steps, Hansen says. CPD, in collaboration with the advancement office, also launched Ursinus Unites, a program aimed at recruiting the help of the Ursinus community to support the Class of 2020. It’s a level of commitment to our students that will not surprise anyone who is familiar with the dedication of the CPD staff. “It is amazing what can be accomplished when people work together,” she says.
Year in Review Highlights Caret-right
The U-Imagine Center for Integrative and Entrepreneurial Studies has built upon its original signature programming to include new initiatives—like UC Digital Spark—that benefit both students and the local economy. This was made possible, in part, by benefactors Winnifred Cutler ’73 and Thomas Quay, who have donated more than $750,000 to support the center.
Caret-right
Entrepreneur-in-Residence Maureen Cumpstone ’79 was been named one of eight recipients of the 2019 Leavey Award for Excellence in Private Education for her work with the U-Imagine Center.
Educating Future Civic Leaders The Teagle Foundation In an Innovation and Discovery Center classroom last summer, a group of students debated political and ethical issues, and had spirited conversations about free speech and censorship. They invoked sections of the U.S. Constitution, referred to the writings of Frederick Douglass and even quoted the U.S. Supreme Court. But this was not a Common Intellectual Experience seminar of Ursinus students. Rather, these were high school students participating in the intensive Freedom, Citizenship and Equality summer program. The new program is funded by the Teagle Foundation and aims to acquaint high school students with college using Ursinus’s flagship CIE as a foundation. The grant is for $165,000 over three years. The Teagle Foundation works to support and strengthen liberal arts education, which it views as fundamental to meaningful work, effective citizenship and a fulfilling life. “This is the kind of program that can serve as a pipeline to undergraduate liberal arts
colleges like Ursinus,” says Paul Stern, a professor of politics. The first cohort of students came from Upper Perkiomen High School in Pennsburg, Montgomery County. “It’s a great benefit to students to have the college experience—and particularly, a liberal arts experience—before they even get to college and participate in discussions that touch on political and ethical issues.” The high school students in the program are mentored by current Ursinus College students and receive college credit upon its completion. Stern says he hopes to introduce the students to an inquirybased education that prepares them to become informed individuals and responsible citizens. Programs like this, Stern says, help improve first-to-second-year retention rates for students because they’ve had a pre-college experience that introduces them to a rigorous college curriculum. It helps set students on a path to self-discovery and how they define themselves as an American.
Career and Professional Development by the Numbers
32 205 56 87 94% # of internships in 2019–20
Total # of students who studied abroad in 2019–20
Percentage of students who are employed, attending graduate or professional school, participating in service or volunteer opportunities within six months of graduation
different organizations hosted
externs during the 2020 extern program
2019–2020 Ursinus Annual Report 21
The Investment Gurus Scott Deacle and Johnny Myers ’19
An investment club with humble origins in the early 2000s has transformed into the Ursinus College Investment Management Company (UCIMCO), a one-credit course in which student analysts manage endowmentstyle and stock selection funds now worth more than $100,000. Adviser Scott Deacle, associate professor of business and economics, and cofounder Johnny Myers ’19 credit alumni and parents alike with helping the fund become successful, including an initial $5,000 contribution from the late Rev. Dr. Harold C. Smith ’55. Myers’ parents, Dan and Janet Myers, have also contributed multiple gifts to help grow the fund. “Their most recent gift, along with a contribution from Entrepreneur-in-Residence Maureen Cumpstone ’79, will fund a women’s investment fund,” says Deacle.
“
We want the fund to set an example to Ursinus students and the Ursinus community.
”
Pictured: Scott Deacle, associate professor of business and economics, adviser of UCIMCO. Not pictured: Ursinus alumnus and UCIMCO cofounder Johnny Myers ’19
So, what else happens with those contributions? “We invest that money and generate returns … and then we give part of our earnings to the Annual Fund, use a portion of the earnings to support UCIMCO activities (such as buying data and going on field trips) and reinvest another portion,” says Deacle. “Johnny and I both have a philanthropic bent,” says Deacle. “We want the fund to set an example to Ursinus students and the Ursinus community.” In 2018, the fund made its first contribution to the college on #Giving2UCday. In 2019, in honor of the college’s sesquicentennial and its founding in 1869, the fund contributed $1,869. “We want the resources from this fund to help Ursinus meet its fundraising goals, support student success and advance the capabilities of the college,” says Myers. “The fund is the best use of our resources and is the best way to directly invest in the future of Ursinus's business and economics students.”
UCIMCO by the Numbers More than
$99,000
has been donated toward the UCIMCO.
UCIMCO donates earnings back to the college, presenting a check for
$1,869
on #Giving2UCday 2019.
UCIMCO has grown from a club to a
one-credit course open to all students who want to learn the fundamentals of investing.
Campaign Outcomes Caret-right
The Don M. and Alethia G. White Fund for Student Enrichment provides supplemental support for summer internships or significant volunteer activities—for students who could not otherwise afford the experience—particularly when such experiences are unpaid or incur significant expense. Emphasis is on experiential learning opportunities.
Caret-right
The Michael ’54 and Mary Sprenkle ’53 Neborak Student Enrichment Fund supports research, internships or study abroad, with a preference for students studying neuroscience. The fund encourages opportunities for Ursinus students who could not otherwise afford the experience and is intended to provide a range of experiential learning opportunities.
Caret-right
The Harold C. Smith Program in Christian Studies offers students special programming and experiential learning opportunities aimed at challenging them to contemplate the core question, “What will I do?” The program is funded by the Harold C. Smith Foundation, which has contributed more than $1 million to date.
Caret-right
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation awarded Ursinus College $500,000 over three years to implement the Quest: Open Questions Open Minds core curriculum designed to cultivate an inquiry-driven academic experience for students.
Caret-right
The Parlee Center for Science and the Common Good—one of our three interdisciplinary academic centers—was permanently endowed through the generosity of Trustee Don Parlee ’55 and Joan Parlee ’57, who have committed $2 million to the college for this purpose.
Caret-right
Members of the Ursinus community planted more than 170 trees and shrubs last fall, creating a food forest at the Whittaker Environmental Research Station (WERS), which received foundational funding from Donald R. Whittaker ’77 and continues to be supported by both Whittaker and Judy Hoak, a friend of the college. 2019–2020 Ursinus Annual Report 23
Fiscal Year 2020
GIVING RESULTS The college closed the 2020 fiscal year (July 1, 2019–June 30, 2020) having raised $7,566,493 in total gifts received from 4,368 donors. This includes approximately $1.9 million for our Annual Fund, which provides crucial unrestricted support for the college, and $334,911 in cash and securities for our Bear2Bear Student Emergency Fund.
June 30 also marked the culmination of the Keep the Promise comprehensive campaign, and we are pleased to share that we surpassed our original $100 million goal, with $107 million raised in gifts and pledge commitments.
New Gifts & Commitments by Category Restricted Annual Operations
52%
Endowment
17%
Unrestricted Annual
15%
Government/Research Sponsorship
9%
Capital
5%
Restricted Annual Academic Centers
2%
Other/Unspecified
>1%
GRAND TOTAL
$22,194,557* *includes unfulfilled pledges
Total Gifts Received by Constituency Type Alumni and Students
35%
Foundations
34%
Businesses and Corporations
12%
Government Agencies
9%
Friends
3%
Other Organizations
3%
Parents
3%
Faculty and Staff
1%
GRAND TOTAL
$7,566,493 2019–2020 Ursinus Annual Report 25
SPOTLIGHT ON ANNUAL GIVING The Annual Fund provides integral operating funding for Ursinus College, supporting scholarships and financial aid, academic and student programming, athletics, theater and the arts, the Berman Museum, capital expenses and much more. Gifts at every level add up to make an impact, with more than 3,000 donors to the Annual Fund in FY20. Over 1,300 donors made gifts between $1 and $99, providing a
foundational base of giving. Our 1869 Society recognizes those individuals who donate $1,869 or above for unrestricted giving. The group, cochaired by Graham “Mac” Mackenzie ’74 and Ann Helfferich Mackenzie ’77, numbered 300 during the 2020 fiscal year, yet their donations accounted for 74% of the Annual Fund’s overall giving total.
Annual Fund Impact of Donor Support Financial Aid and Scholarships
42%
Academics
23%
Student Life
14%
Administrative Support & Operations
13%
Campus Maintenance
8%
New Funds Established We are truly grateful to our loyal supporters who established the below named funds during the 2020 fiscal year. This list includes both endowed funds, which exist in perpetuity, and Annual Fund Scholarships. Our Annual Fund Scholarship program enables donors to create a named term fund with a five-year, $25,000 gift commitment. Student recipients receive scholarship awards of $5,000 per year. Robert Y. Beesburg Jr. ’84 Annual Fund Scholarship Czubaroff Public Discourse, Dialogue and Deliberative Democracy Fund Czubaroff Student Research Fund George E. Dupont ’70 and Barbara A. Dupont Scholarship Gail L. Heinemeyer ’72 Scholarship Fund, in Memory of Her Mother, Claire L. Borrell ’40 Jules Racich Wrestling Coach Endowed Fund
The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep. —from Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost
About the Endowment Ursinus’s long-term stability relies, in part, upon the strength of its endowment. Endowed funds are invested, with the principal remaining intact and only the income spent each year. This enables them to serve as a crucial source of funding for the college, while also existing in perpetuity and growing in value over time. They allow donors to put their own names—or someone else’s—on a fund, and honor a legacy of support indefinitely into the future.
Market Value of the Endowment at 6/30/2020
$133.9 million 2019–2020 Ursinus Annual Report 27
Office of Advancement 601 E. Main Street Collegeville, PA 19426