Nearly $5.8 million raised to date for Northwestern’s Imagine Campaign

Gifts to the Imagine Campaign are approaching $6 million as Northwestern College continues work on the silent phase of the largest fund-raising effort in its history.

The college’s Board of Trustees approved a $30 million goal for the campaign during the board’s semiannual meeting last fall. Conversations with current and prospective major donors began in the spring when President Bruce Murphy and members of the advancement staff asked them to consider making a gift. College officials are making follow-up visits this fall to ask for commitments.

Also being solicited for gifts at this time are members of the Imagine Campaign Leadership Committee and the board itself.

“We’re currently encouraging donors to consider gifts and pledges not only for the learning commons, but because construction has begun on the Rowenhorst Student Center (RSC), we also want to encourage participation in that project as well,” says Jay Wielenga, director of advancement.

At $20 million, the learning commons is a major component of the campaign, but $3 million is also earmarked for the renovation of the RSC. The latter was moved up in priority due to concerns that the 25-year-old building wasn’t meeting the needs of today’s students. The college’s growth and campus changes had also made the RSC an inefficient, underutilized space. Crews began gutting the student center in the summer. The renovation is scheduled to be completed by fall 2007.

While a timeline for the Imagine Campaign hasn’t been finalized, college officials are anticipating a five-year campaign. Major gifts received so far include $2 million from Marvin and Jerene DeWitt of Zeeland, Mich., and $1.3 million from the estate of Charlie and Cordelia Boyd of Maurice, Iowa.