ENDURING VALUES VIBRANT VISION
CAMPAIGN CASE STATEMENT
THE CHALLENGE
THIS IS AN UNPRECEDENTED TIME for higher education in the United States, and it is particularly difficult for private institutions. For decades, Loras College could rely on a steady stream of young adults who viewed a college education as the opportunity for advancement. This is no longer the case. Nationwide, lower birth rates resulting from the 2008 recession have resulted in the so-called “enrollment cliff” that was only accelerated by the global COVID-19 pandemic. Further, scrutiny of the value of a college degree grows amidst increased costs and uncertainty about its return on investment. These two dynamics— fewer college applicants and falling confidence in the value of a college education—are significant headwinds that Loras now faces. These conditions require an urgent response.
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OUR ANSWER
AGAINST THESE HEADWINDS, the value and promise of a Loras education stand true. This can be seen nowhere better than in our alumni. In settings ranging from the classroom to the boardroom, from the parish all the way to the Vatican, Loras is a name people come to know and respect through our alumni who give witness to their Loras experience and how it prepared them to lead in a rapidly changing world.
We know this witness is the result of a caring, supportive, and empowering community where faith and reason meet in the classrooms of our dedicated teaching faculty. And we know this because our alumni tell us. From coast to coast and beyond, Duhawks attest to the life-changing impact of their professors and other professional members of the Loras community who showed personal investment in their growth. They share stories of friendships that have stood the test of time. They also believe they would not be where they are today were it not for these relationships and the holistic education they received at Loras.
These testaments compel us to look to the future; to ensure that a Loras College education is available to future generations. This is why Loras’ answer to the present challenge is to double down on its identity; to live it more fully. To do this and renew this promise of a Loras College education for generations to come, Loras is launching a $128 million comprehensive campaign to achieve five key objectives.
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OBJECTIVES
INCREASE ACCESS TO CATHOLIC HIGHER EDUCATION
Economic and social forces have only heightened students’ need for financial aid. For the Loras experience to continue to be accessible, we must advance the College’s capacity to provide the financial assistance students and their families need and thereby remain competitive in the higher education marketplace. Achieving this depends heavily on the generosity of Loras’ dedicated benefactors who fund scholarships.
EMPOWER LEADERS FOR CHURCH AND SOCIETY
Loras forms leaders. Now more than ever, the world needs such leaders who listen for and respond to their personal vocations in the world, who think critically, and who act in service to others. To advance this, Loras seeks to elevate its already strong curricular and co-curricular offerings with additional high-impact practices. Through immersive experiences in tandem with extraordinary teaching, Loras will further embed the Catholic intellectual tradition throughout the curriculum and institute a comprehensive Leadership Framework, reinforcing the leadership development for which it is already well known. By investing in areas ranging from faculty and staff development to programming, we will ensure Loras continues to be an incubator for leaders across domains both sacred and civic.
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FORGE PARTNERSHIPS FOR A STRONGER LORAS
Partnership is the future of higher education. To thrive in the years ahead, Loras is taking bold steps to partner with higher education, healthcare, and corporate institutions to grow opportunities for students and increase enrollment. In return, Loras is seen as a respected partner, bringing value to its collaborators. One example is the College’s development of new nursing and occupational therapy pathways with Mercy College of Health Sciences in Des Moines and St. Ambrose University in Davenport, respectively. By mobilizing and aligning its strengths with others, Loras will grow in its appeal to prospective students whose ambitions are equally as bold.
NURTURE AND DEVELOP FAITH
As the Archdiocese of Dubuque’s institution of higher education, Loras holds its Catholic identity as the foundation of its mission, reaching through the entire educational experience. With an impact spanning the archdiocese and the global Church, Loras remains a leader in Catholic higher education through key initiatives such as the Archbishop Kucera Center for Catholic Intellectual and Spiritual Life, the Breitbach Catholic Thinkers and Leaders program, Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), and a robust Spiritual Life department. By creating an endowed Chair of Catholic Studies and investing in institutional initiatives centered on Catholic identity, Loras will further deepen its commitment to spreading the Gospel.
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OBJECTIVES
ENHANCE THE LEARNING AND LIVING ENVIRONMENT
Our beloved campus on the bluff is historic, each building telling a story through its evolving uses over the decades. We are committed to ensuring all of our learning and living spaces collectively offer a safe, comfortable, and technologically advanced environment that fosters the building of relationships and community that are hallmarks of the Loras experience. By completing renovations to Beckman Hall, building a state-of-the-art multimedia center in Wahlert Hall, and updating Keane Hall to welcome new nursing and occupational therapy programs, our students and faculty who achieve the best will be equipped with the best.
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OUR GOAL
CAMPAIGN GOAL= $128 MILLION
To achieve these five objectives, Loras seeks the generous support of alumni and friends across the following areas.
STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE LORAS FUND
CAPITAL UPGRADES
ENDOWMENT
ACADEMIC PROGRAMMING
50M
33M 25M 20M
“
There has never been a time in my life when the values that Loras exhibits and instills in its students have been needed more. Life is complicated but made easier to navigate when someone has the vision for the future instilled in them as Loras provides.
Theresa (Obermann) Hoffman (’81), Campaign Steering Committee Member & Regent
LEADERSHIP
LORAS COLLEGE ADMINISTRATION
Jim Collins (’84), President
Donna Heald, Provost and Academic Dean
Joshua Boots (’04), Vice President for Institutional Advancement
Demeri Mullikin, Vice President for Marketing & Strategic Communications
Art Sunleaf, Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students
Margaret Tungseth, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
CAMPAIGN STEERING COMMITTEE
Paul Breitbach (’60)
Mike Doyle (’91)
Rev. Msgr. John Enzler (’69)
Theresa Hoffman (’81)
BOARD OF REGENTS
Luis Acosta Hererra (’13)
Rev. Msgr. James Barta (’52)
Rich Clayton (’87)
Mark Cloghessy (’80)
Rev. Msgr. John Enzler (’69)
William C. Glynn (’68)
Theresa Hoffman (’81)
Natalie Hoffmann (’84)
Mary J. Meehan, Co-Vice Chair
David Meyers (’72)
Mark Molo (’85)
Eugene Murphy (’84)
CONTACT
Joshua D. Boots (’04 MA ’19), Vice President for Institutional Advancement advancement@loras.edu | 563.588.7240
Mark Molo (’85)
Rich Scalise (’76), Co-Chair
Tom Tauke (’72), Co-Chair
Siobahn O’Connor Hartsell (’84)
Michael Rice II
Rich Scalise (’76), Board Chair
Joseph P. Schiesl (’74)
Stephen Schlegel (’85)
Wendy Schrunk (’07)
Steven Sloan (’78), Secretary
Sarah Squiers (’89)
Timothy Suther (’82), Co-Vice Chair
Thomas J. Tauke (’72)
Milan Vuckovic (’09)
Thank you for joining us in renewing Loras’ promise.
Pro Deo et Patria
For God and Country