SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AND FOUNDATION, INC.
ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT JULY 1, 2022—JUNE 30, 2023
Dear Viking Community, At Salem State, we believe in and empower every student, and our commitment to their success and life readiness is at the heart of everything we do. As someone who has contributed to Salem State’s annual fund, thank you for joining us in our mission to prepare students to achieve their educational and career goals. You have helped lead us into our most successful fundraising year to date. Our sixth annual Viking Warrior Day had a record-breaking number of donations, raising $288,126 from 484 Vikings, and bringing our fundraising total for the year to an incredible $17 million. This has been a momentous milestone, particularly as we launched our $75 million comprehensive campaign called Meet the Moment™. You provide our students with the tools to enhance social mobility so they can improve not only their lives, but the lives of their family members and those in their communities. Thank you for helping forge the pathway to lifelong success. With Viking pride,
$17,015,023
Total Funds Raised
$4,661,498 were current-use funds
2,502 DONORS 844 gave unrestricted
903
Cheryl Webster Crounse Vice President, Advancement Executive Director, Salem State University Alumni Association and Foundation, Inc.
FirstTime Donors
$100
Most Common Gift Amount Most Common Areas of Support: • Salem State Annual Fund Unrestricted • Student Emergency Fund • Senior Class Gift Scholarship • Men’s Soccer • Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies
“I want to extend my gratitude to the donors of the fund. I am appreciative of their kindness and thoughtfulness. The seed of kindness they planted blooms in my heart!”
“One thing I learned here at Salem State is not to view everything as isolated but connected parts like the human body. They may seem different but together they work towards a common goal. Thank you for this generous scholarship.”
– Peace Banjoko ’19, ’23G, nursing major and Student Emergency Fund recipient
– Trevor Tarr ’26, chemistry major and Senior Class Gift Scholarship recipient
The Power of Flexible Philanthropy Ways unrestricted donations have made an impact: •
Endowed eight scholarships
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Provided additional critical funding for Student Emergency Fund grants: 99 students received emergency funds this year
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Funded 74 internship scholarships
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Established a cross-collaboration of faculty, staff, students, and community partners to formalize and develop a roadmap to becoming a Hispanic Serving Institution
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Supported 24 students in the Educator-Scholars of Color cohort in the McKeown School of Education
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Funded 220 students’ participation in the annual First Year Day of Service
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Provided financial assistance for students in the accelerated bachelor’s in nursing program who have reached their maximum loan eligibility
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Through the Office of Inclusive Excellence’s Center for Equity, Education and Belonging, supported four Building Inclusive Academic Communities working groups, 18 Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) faculty consultants and four Employee Resources Groups
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“Participating in the First Year Day of Service as freshmen at Salem State University was an incredible opportunity that not only allowed us to give back to the community, but also brought us together as lifelong friends. We may have had different majors and backgrounds, but the shared experience of volunteering and moving in early forged a bond that has lasted throughout our college years. From that day on, we’ve been on an unforgettable journey filled with laughter, adventure and countless memories that we’ll cherish forever.”
Preparing to be an Emerging Hispanic Serving Institution Salem State currently serves an over 20 percent Hispanic student population, and demographic trends indicate that it will grow to 25 percent within the next few years. As an emerging Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), the university is focusing on how to best support the needs of this growing population. In April, with encouragement from the president and provost offices and the support of unrestricted donations, Assistant Vice President for HSI-MSI* Initiatives Elisa Castillo PhD and Assistant Professor of Sociology Miguel Montalva Barba PhD traveled to the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities Capitol Forum in Washington, D.C., with four enthusiastic Salem State students in tow. First-year nursing students Annely GrullonRojas ’26 and Arianny GrullonRojas ’26 jumped at the opportunity. “As a Hispanic student, I want to see more change and help people unite,” says Annely. Her twin sister, Arianny, echoes her sentiment, saying, “I’m passionate about medicine. You don’t really see a lot of minority doctors. I want to change that.”
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– Michael Corley ’23 and Taif AlHalabi ’23
From left, Emmanuel Quiroz Martinez ’23G, Assistant Vice President Elisa Castillo, Arianny GrullonRojas ’26, U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, Annely GrullonRojas ’26, Lorimer Mateo Rondon ’23, and Assistant Professor Miguel Montalva Barba.
“I assist faculty looking for ways to build a sense of community in their classroom, increase meaningful inclusion in course materials, discuss universal design for learning strategies, and engage in action research related to JEDI in their teaching.” – Megan Murphy, assistant professor, childhood education and care, JEDI faculty consultant
“The stipend I received while participating in my internship allowed me to focus on my training, and I couldn’t be more grateful. For now, I can set the stage for my future career. Through my Salem State journey, so many doors have opened for me.” – Carlos CuevaCaro ’25, The Welcome Immigrants Network intern through the College of Arts and Sciences Experiential Learning and Research Fund
Elisa explains that this is just the beginning. “Bringing students to these conferences exposes them to hundreds of Latinx experts, connects them with job placements and internships and expands their horizons and potential. Providing our students opportunities to succeed and open new doors is crucial.” For Annely and Arianny, the conference encouraged them to never be afraid to be an advocate. “Our voices are powerful. Stand up for what you believe in.” *MSI: Minority Serving Institutions
Finding Community at Salem State For former Salem State University Alumni Association and Foundation, Inc. board member and annual consecutive donor Richard Durgan ’69, the university laid the groundwork for a lifelong career in—and passion for—travel. “I went on a spring break trip with a student group to Bermuda and caught a travel bug that’s stuck with me ever since,” he explains. As the founder and former president of Durgan Travel Service, Richard helps others develop that same passion for exploration and adventure. The company helped manage the nursing department’s annual trip to Jamaica, a servicelearning trip that assesses health disparities affecting disadvantaged communities. “Working with these students and faculty members, I gained a keen appreciation for healthcare workers,” Richard says. “There’s so much demand for quality care. Salem State is preparing people to meet that need.”
Richard Durgan ’69
That’s why Richard’s generous annual support has been focused on the Maguire Meservey College of Health and Human Services (MMCHHS), including a popular matching gift challenge during Viking Warrior Day, Salem State’s annual day of giving. Francisca Daniels ’20, ’23G is one of the many recent graduates of MMCHHS. Born in the Dominican Republic, she moved to Lynn at the age of five. “When I was growing up, I had one Black teacher,” she recalls. “I want to provide an example so that students who look like me understand that they are able to go to college and have a fulfilling career.” She felt especially prepared to launch into a successful career as a result of the internship she secured during her junior year, helping to support teen mothers and those with mental health struggles. Richard and Francisca are united by their connection to Salem State: They each found a community of support and the seed of a passion that they nurtured to full bloom.
Francisca Daniels ’20, ’23G
“Salem State is at the top of my giving priorities because I’m still connected to the community,” Richard shares. “I know the money is used in the right way, and my money goes farther here than it would just about anywhere else.”
From the O’Keefe Center to Oregon Elementary Principal of the Year In asking Andrea Porter-Lopez ’91 what drew her to Salem State, she recalls, “Salem State found me.” Andrea drew the attention of college recruiters back in the 1980s as a star basketball player in her hometown of Mattapoisett, Mass. Tim Shea ’83G, former head coach of the women’s basketball team, reached out to the Porter family regularly. “I wasn’t actively looking at college but Coach Shea made that connection, more so than the division I and II schools that were actively recruiting. And soon, I was part of the Salem State family.” Andrea is a longtime supporter of the athletics program, making annual gifts since 1994 to help student athletes build camaraderie and a network of support. Her time as a student athlete formed her philosophy around education and leadership, and as the 2023 Oregon Elementary Principal of the Year, Andrea utilizes her experience to elevate her teaching staff’s expertise. “My work ties back to sports. As a player and a coach, it’s your role to support others.” Reflecting on why Andrea stays engaged with her alma mater, she says, “Times change but the connectedness and camaraderie I felt at Salem State is so important, and I want current students to have the opportunities that I had. Somebody did it for me back then, and I want to keep it going.” Andrea Porter-Lopez ’91
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ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT JULY 1, 2022—JUNE 30, 2023 SALEMSTATE.EDU/MOMENT GIVE@SALEMSTATE.EDU
Campus community members and volunteers join President John D. Keenan on stage at the May 6, 2023 public launch of Meet the Moment™, Salem State’s historic comprehensive campaign. At the time of the launch event, $40 million had been raised toward the campaign’s $75 million goal.