Meredith College Fundraising Campaign has Record Year

To date, Beyond Strong │The Campaign for Meredith has raised more than $55 million, toward a $75 million goal that was announced in February during the College’s 125 anniversary week celebrations.

Meredith College’s current fundraising campaign has surpassed the total raised in the last campaign by $13 million, just four years into the campaign.

Gifts this fiscal year include the largest cash gift in the history of the College. A $3.5 million gift from the Jud Ammons family, of Raleigh, N.C., in honor of his late wife, alumna Jo Ellen Ammons, is currently renovating the iconic Johnson Hall and adding an exciting new welcome center to the facility.

A $1 million gift from Bobbitt Clay Williams, ʼ57, and her husband Bill Williams, of Newport Beach, Calif., is supporting renovations to Johnson Hall. In honor of the gift, a suite of offices is being named the Bobbitt Clay Williams Executive Suite.

The Meredith Fund also set a fundraising record, raising $2,096,227 given by 5,543 donors. It was the first time The Meredith Fund has surpassed $2 million. The largest percentage of that total was designated to the college’s greatest needs fund at $878,808. This year, a record 706 new donors gave to The Meredith Fund.

The College’s first 24-hour giving day, Make It Count for Meredith, was held on February 23 and was a huge success with alumnae and friends donating $283,052, surpassing by 11 a.m. the $125,000 goal that was set. On that one day 1,791 donors made their gift count.

The Parents Fund raised $56,148, which will be used to update the Fitness Center equipment, extend operating hours, and provide additional fitness-related programs for students. This is the most raised by Meredith parents in the 13 years since The Parents Fund was created.

Current and former faculty and staff also surpassed their giving from last fiscal year with 72.5% giving to the College. The seven week campaign raised $227,574 in gifts and three-year pledges. These numbers show the commitment that Meredith’s own have for the institution.

In addition, the Class of 1966 won Meredith Mayhem, a class-based fundraising campaign focused on participation. The class far exceeded their goal by 11%, with 57% of the class giving during the month and half campaign.

Learn more about Beyond Strong | The Campaign for Meredith