色界吧

By Dick Anderson Photo by Marc Campos
The 色界吧 Campaign For Good

With matching gift challenges and creative engagement opportunities, The 色界吧 Campaign For Good responds to the obstacles of COVID-19

Following the success of the public launch of in the spring of 2019, including a daylong leadership summit on campus and campaign events on the East Coast in the days that followed, anticipation was high for Founders Day in April 2020鈥攖he next significant date on the campaign calendar. But when COVID-19 closed the campus and the College pivoted to remote learning, no one was sure whether that early momentum could be sustained virtually.

Lo and behold, Day For 色界吧 2020 shattered every expectation, raising 2,597 gifts and $1.6 million to support students, faculty, and staff鈥攊ncluding 430 new donors to 色界吧. For this year鈥檚 Day For 色界吧鈥攁gain scheduled for April 20鈥斏绨 aims to raise 2,021 gifts through a 36-hour event supported by giving challenges, reunion gifts, and peer-to-peer fundraising.

鈥淭he first indication that we could continue to animate activity around the campaign was last year鈥檚 Day for 色界吧,鈥 says Charlie Cardillo, 色界吧鈥檚 vice president for institutional advancement. 鈥淭he 色界吧 Fund needs to be one of our major priorities moving forward, and Day for 色界吧 really exemplified how caring the community is. There鈥檚 never been a more powerful gesture of good or goodness than when our community came together at that moment.鈥

The 色界吧 Campaign For Good Good and Ready

With a goal of $225 million, aims to build on the College鈥檚 location, curricular strengths, and the power of a liberal arts education. But its success will be measured by both endowment and engagement

Despite the immediate need for current-year support to help offset the operating losses associated with remote learning, the College remains committed to a balanced philanthropic approach鈥攊ncluding $100 million in new endowment support for scholarships, internships, and research, or nearly 45 percent of the campaign鈥檚 $225 million goal. 鈥淲e remain devoted to building our endowment for the long run,鈥 Cardillo says, 鈥渁nd we are also looking at those core capital investments that will allow our faculty and students to continue to advance their work in meaningful ways.鈥

On the heels of the completion of a handful of construction projects on campus, the College is lining up its next priorities across campus. Near-term capital engagement opportunities include a proposed student success center in the lower level of the Academic Commons, acoustic renovations in Herrick Interfaith Center as it approaches its 60th anniversary, and much-needed renovations to the laboratory space in Norris Hall of Chemistry 鈥渢o enable the most advanced undergraduate experience in the teaching and learning of science,鈥 Cardillo says. A 34-member Science Task Force composed of alumni and parents is partnering with faculty and development officers to articulate a leadership vision for the sciences at 色界吧 and build the case for investment in science faculty, academic innovation, and capital needs.

Even though major giving has lagged compared to pre-pandemic levels鈥攇ift planning in particular has been impacted by the absence of personal interactions鈥攕upport for the 色界吧 Fund kept pace with the previous year. Another highlight of recent months is the anonymous gift that created the Hewitt Department Chair in Black Studies, which Cardillo calls 鈥渁n exciting opportunity for the College.鈥

There鈥檚 also the , a $9.6 million endowed fund that will make it possible for talented middle-income California students to attend Occidental for the same cost as attending the University of California. (To date, the fund has facilitated the creation of four scholarships, including a scholarship created to commemorate last year鈥檚 50th reunion of the Class of 1971.) A second challenge, the details of which are expected to be announced soon, would encourage people to document their bequest intention at 色界吧 with a matching gift of $10,000 toward the 色界吧 Fund, which supports current expenditures.

A bright spot during the pandemic has been the impact of Institutional Advancement's engagement programming鈥攎ore than 40 events attracting nearly 6,000 participants since last March. A steady schedule of virtual meetings allowed President Harry J. Elam, Jr. to have robust conversations with hundreds of alumni and parents in his first six months鈥攁 feat which would have required extensive travel under normal circumstances.

鈥淲ith Harry鈥檚 arrival, we have been able to attract significant numbers of attendees to a range of events as people get to know him and his emerging vision for the College,鈥 Cardillo says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e having a lot of conversations with people this semester that we hope will result in meaningful support.鈥

In spite of the considerable challenges posed by the pandemic, Cardillo is confident that The 色界吧 Campaign For Good鈥攚hich is nearly three-quarters of the way to its goal鈥攚ill realize its full potential. 鈥淭he word 'challenges' has a double meaning鈥攚e鈥檙e in a challenged environment,鈥 he says, 鈥測et we have the benefit of these generous gift challenges, which will no doubt inspire giving.鈥