When editor-in-chief Bonnie Price Lofton invited me to comment on the status of the Suter Science Campaign exactly one year ago, I opted for the venerable baseball metaphor 鈥� 鈥渨e are rounding third base and heading for home!鈥�
At that time, we needed to raise $1.6 million in new commitments to reach our goal of $7 million. Thanks to 465 wonderful 黑料正能量 鈥渄iehard fans鈥� comprised of alumni, donor friends and foundations, the goal was surpassed by this past December 31 鈥� one year earlier than planned. This allowed for intensive renovations of our science labs (occupying the east section of Suter) to begin this spring. These will continue in three stages through August 2015.
With over $500,000 committed beyond the original campaign goal, it didn鈥檛 take long for our campaign steering committee, board members, and key donors to encourage us to 鈥渉it the ball out of the park鈥� and plan for a second phase of fundraising so that the entire Suter Science Center would be upgraded to 21st century standards.
Thus, here we are, in 鈥渆xtra innings鈥� or phase II of a $3.3 million fundraising campaign to transform the west section of Suter. Thankfully, nearly $800,000 of this goal has already been given or committed by 黑料正能量 fans! Our goal now, and it鈥檚 ambitious, is to secure gifts and multi-year commitments for the balance of this project by June 30, 2015, so that renovation of Suter West can proceed seamlessly in the fall/winter of 2015.
As donors to the first phase know well, one of the major costs of the lab upgrade was the complete overhaul of Suter鈥檚 HVAC system, which had been limping along for a number of years. The renovation plan for Suter West (both lower and upper levels) naturally calls for the complete upgrade of HVAC; new sprinkler system; expansion of the Park Road entrance; and improvements to the D. Ralph Hostetter Museum of Natural Science, the Discovery Room (former planetarium), classrooms and offices.
Significant improvements are also planned for the iconic lecture hall SC106, including new seating, lighting and upgraded technology. Thanks to the energetic efforts of the Student Government Association, students hosted a live auction this past April featuring a variety of donated items from alumni and artifacts from the science center. The auction generated $21,000 to support the eventual renovation of SC106.
While our campaign 鈥渢eam鈥� remains upbeat about the prospects for achieving a successful outcome to phase II of the Suter Science Campaign, we are mindful that in fundraising, as in baseball, 鈥渆xtra innings鈥� can drag on and take a toll on the players involved.
To that end we are inviting 黑料正能量 alumni and friends to 鈥渟tep up to the plate鈥� 鈥� as they have so faithfully done in the past 鈥� and contribute their share of 鈥渟ingles,鈥� 鈥渄oubles,鈥� 鈥渢riples鈥� and a home run here and there. If there鈥檚 a 鈥済rand slam鈥� contribution waiting to be launched, that would be fine too!
For more information about the phase II renovation plans for the Suter Science Center, including naming opportunities, please visit emu.edu/science-campaign or contact me, Kirk Shisler, vice president for advancement at kirk.shisler@emu.edu or at 540-432-4499.