AU Alumni Update

October 2004

 
ALUMNI NEWS

AnewAU Campaign Celebrates Year of Success, Looks Ahead

Mary Weinmann and AU President Benjamin Ladner










Mary Weinmann accepts the President's Award from Dr. Ladner

The good news was more plentiful than the fine china at this year's President's Circle dinner in mid-October, and before dessert was served, a wonderful treat were given to the more than 400 guests celebrating the success of the first year of the AnewAU campaign. Longtime AU neighbor Mary Weinmann was given the President’s Award for her generosity in bequesting her lovely Nebraska Avenue estate to AU.

In the year since AU publicly kicked off its $200 million fund-raising campaign, there has been much to celebrate.

  • Alumni participation in annual giving climbed to 18 percent.
  • The Katzen Arts Center has begun to take shape on Ward Circle.
  • Alumni and friends from across the country have formed advisory councils in each of the schools and colleges.
  • Faculty and staff participation in annual giving increased this year to 25 percent.
  • A special “campaign issue” of American magazine with a CD was produced and mailed to 85,000 AU alumni, parents, and friends around the world.
  • The Class of 2004 students broke all previous fund-raising records by raising more than $60,000 for the senior class gift.

“To date, $84 million has been raised toward the $200 million campaign goal,” said Al Checcio, VP of University Relations. “Alumni, parents, faculty, staff, students, and friends have responded positively toward the goals of AnewAU. We’ve begun to make some great progress toward our goal, and we hope others will join us - there is plenty of work yet to be done.” By the end of the university’s fiscal year, April 30, 2005, AU hopes to have the campaign total at $100 million.

Each school and college has their own campaign goals and will hold a campaign kick-off within the next year – Kogod and WCL have already held theirs, in April and September, respectively.

As the campaign continues, alumni events will be held in cities across the country – and the world - promoting AnewAU. Already, events have been held in Baltimore, Washington D.C., and Chicago. Philadelphia is next: Wednesday, December 1.

For regular updates on the progress of the campaign, visit: http://www.american.edu/anewau.

Back to newsletter