We did it! Thanks to the generosity of so many, the Brighter Light Campaign was able to raise an astounding $203,236,489! This figure not only sets a new fundraising record for the College but also significantly exceeds our original goal of $150 million.
As I travel around the country, sharing the results of the campaign and expressing our overwhelming gratitude to alumni and friends of the College, I always share this exact figure. Why? Because every dollar counted in this effort. Every gift, big and small, is already making a difference in the lives of Kalamazoo College students, faculty and staff.
The numbers are impressive, to be sure: More than 16,000 individual donors. More than $89 million given to the endowment. More than $90 million raised for scholarships and financial aid. I invite you to visit our website (kzoo.edu/brighterlight) to learn more. Yet what is most impressive is how those dollars will help our students turn their aspirations into achievements. Thanks to your support, more students will be able to come to Kalamazoo College, take advantage of study abroad, expand their summer and senior research opportunities and participate in internships that prepare them for meaningful careers. Faculty will be able to develop new coursework, perform research with their students and present at prestigious conferences; staff can develop new programs to support and enrich student life. The College can modernize historic spaces, enhance athletics and arts experiences, enhance student success programming and develop plans to offer new residential living spaces for the first time since 1967!
This issue of LuxEsto will share some of the stories of K community members whose lives have already been positively impacted by the Brighter Light Campaign. I hope you find their stories as inspiring as I do. You’ll also find the story of Dr. Nic Helmstetter ’10 and his work with Street Medicine Kalamazoo. While Nic graduated long before the Brighter Light Campaign ever started, his story reminds us of the motivation behind the campaign: that when talented students are given the opportunity to come to K, whatever their calling may be, they go forth to create a brighter world.
Finally, while the Brighter Light Campaign has ended, the opportunities to support K continue. Upcoming events include Hornet Athletics Giving Day in February and the Day of Gracious Giving in May, which supports the Kalamazoo College Fund, providing immediate funds for financial aid, faculty and staff, and the College’s greatest needs and unforeseen challenges. These funds support the student experience directly, where and when it’s needed most.
On behalf of our students, faculty and staff, thank you to all who give of your time and treasures to K. It truly is, as the alma mater states, a “most hallowed place/where hope and joy renew.”
Saludos and lux esto,
Jorge G. Gonzalez
President
