Methodist University Alumni & Development - Seeds on Good Soil Wrap Up

Seeds on Good Soil, A New Season Campaign Wrap Up

Fundraising for the Seeds on Good Soil, A New Season campaign drew to a close in late 2006. This campaign, which raised a total of $14,739,839, marked not only the largest in Methodist University’s history, but is believed to be the largest campaign raised with private dollars in the history of Cumberland County, North Carolina.

The campaign, which the Board of Trustees approved in October 2001, was publicly announced in May 2002 with an $11,000,000 goal. With early success in the area of endowment, the goal was increased over time to $12,850,000. The campaign focused on three primary areas: an addition to the Science Building, a Fitness Center, and the endowment. Following is a snapshot of funds raised:

Campaign Area	Dollars Raised
Buildings	$7,944,950
Endowment	$3,638,726
Annual Support	$1,564,578
Other Restricted	$1,591,585
Total	$14,739,839

“We are proud to have reached this milestone in the life of Methodist University,” said President M. Elton Hendricks, adding “It would not have been possible to raise this amount of money without the leadership of co-chairs Bob Allen and Ramon Yarborough, as well as a strong Board of Trustees who gave a significant amount of the total raised.”

Construction on the Fitness Center and Science Building addition began on October 31, 2005, and was completed in May 2007. The Fitness Center, designed for the use of the general student body as well as intramurals, houses a full-size basketball court, a walking track, work out area with equipment, and a smoothie bar. The Science Building addition contains 11 biology and chemistry laboratories, a tiered classroom, two laboratory prep rooms, a great room, and 10 offices. It will also contain Methodist’s new Environmental Simulation Center with its fully interactive 3-D simulation room. Laboratory space in the existing Science Building will be converted to classrooms, as well as a dedicated laboratory for the University’s Forensic Science program.

Methodist University received its first $1 million dollar gift during the Seeds on Good Soil campaign. In fact, during the campaign, Methodist received four $1 million dollar gifts. These included the gift from the Nimocks family to name the Fitness Center, as well as a gift from the Thomas R. and Elizabeth E. McLean Foundation for the Science Building addition. Other significant gifts included $750,000 from BB&T Foundation, the largest corporate gift in Methodist’s history, and $550,000 from the Kresge Foundation. Also significant was the fact that over 2,857 individuals, corporations, and foundations contributed to the campaign. Included in this number were 1,385 of Methodist’s 9,961 alumni and former students.

The new buildings were dedicated on September 21, 2007. The photograph at the top of the page features the dedication ceremony:
L to R: Dr. Elton Hendricks, President; Bob Allen, Trustee; Ramon Yarborough, Trustee; Keith Allison, Trustee; Mike Mcintyre, Congressman; Bob Etheridge, Congressman; Harvey Wright, Trustee; Al Cleveland, Trustee and Dick Player, Trustee.

Plans are to have the primary Donor Recognition Wall honoring those who gave $1,000 or more housed in the lobby of the Fitness Center, with a smaller recognition wall honoring those that gave specifically to the Science Building addition housed in the lobby of that building. Photographs of the buildings under construction can be viewed by clicking here.

Categories	Dollars Raised	Additional Dollars Raised included in other categories
Trustees	$ 6,601,018
Friends	$ 3,079,150
Corporations	$ 2,641,006	$ 815,243
Foundations	$ 1,063,834	$ 1,105,000
United Methodist Church	$ 450,245
Alumni and Former Students	$ 385,615	$ 235,453
Current and Former Faculty & Staff	$ 361,637	$ 1,624,342
NC Independent Colleges & Universities	$ 100,361
Current and Former Parents	$ 56,973	$ 38,639
Total	$14,739,839

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