Bishop’s capital campaign leaves $30 million goal in the dust
Bishop's University announced on Thursday afternoon that its, “Leading the Way,” capital campaign has raised $40,549,563 for a variety of projects across the mission of the school. Having started out in 2012 with a goal of $30 million, this result puts the campaign nearly 33 per cent above its original objective and well beyond its 2016 adjusted goal of $36 million.
“We kept at it, and here we are,” said Bishop’s Principal Michael Goldbloom
as a part of Thursday’s announcement, noting that the amount is easily the largest ever raised in the history of the institution.
The “Leading the Way” campaign changed and grew over the years as some objectives were met and the needs of the school evolved. When the campaign went public in the fall of 2014, the four main goals were the acquisition of equipment for the John H. Price Sports Centre, the renovation and expansion of the John Bassett Memorial Library, support for the Williams School of Business and the Dobson-lagassé Centre for Entrepreneurship, and the enhancement of academic programs and financial support for students. Along the way, Bishop’s added the revitalization of its residences to that list, as well as a number of other initiatives like the renovation of its science labs, campus beautification, and the creation of a range of scholarships and funds to support student success. These and other projects were celebrated by the students and staff benefitting from them the most as a part of Thursday’s announcement.
Campaign co-chairs Tim Griffin and Daniel Fournier spoke very highly of the experience of soliciting donations from parties near and far, sharing stories from their efforts to gain the support of alumni and friends of the school as well as local and international business interests and different levels of government. Although the campaign has now reached its closing date, the two co-chairs argued that the work done to date is simply a greasing of the wheels for future advocacy on behalf of the school.
“Fundraising doesn’t just stop at the end of a campaign,” Griffin said, noting that the final tally of donations is set to be given in March of 2018. “If we’re having a good time we’ll keep going.”