With the college’s official launch of the Campaign for Morrisville, an initiative that will strengthen resources for generations of Mustangs, there’s never been a more exciting time at SUNY Morrisville.
“We’re laying the foundation for the next 100 years of applied education,” said Theresa Kevorkian, vice president for Institutional Advancement. “This transformative campaign is going to change the future of our college.”
The campaign kicked off in grand fashion, receiving a $100,000 pledge from SUNY Morrisville President David Rogers and his wife, Associate Professor Jan Rogers.
Their donation provides an important incentive to generate increased funds through the $15 million comprehensive campaign — the first in Morrisville’s history — to fund initiatives in the four pillar areas of academic opportunities, student support, scholarships and operational improvements.
“Jan and I are honored to make this commitment to ensure a strong start for the Campaign for Morrisville during this public launch,” President Rogers said. “Each of these campaign initiatives will enhance the academic experience of our students. Jan and I are both grateful for the educational opportunities that we received from public higher education, with four SUNY degrees alone in our immediate family. This campaign will make it possible for more students to take advantage of a Morrisville education that will both help them discover future pathways and to realize their own potential.”
“A Morrisville education is a driving force in our local and statewide economy and the college is training students to fill critical roles in our society,” Kevorkian said. “The campaign brings together all in the community who are invested in that future.”
It also will ensure that students are prepared to hit the ground running the day after they graduate and make an immediate impact in their industry and community, she added.
Among the campaign’s goals is to make SUNY Morrisville more affordable and accessible to attend, while also helping students remain enrolled and complete their degrees. Other initiatives involve providing academic opportunities that prepare students for the workforce as well as operational improvements that strengthen the long-term efficiency of the college.
“Each pillar represents an opportunity for SUNY Morrisville to positively impact our greater local, state and national communities,” Kevorkian said. “These initiatives will prepare students to lead their communities and address inequality in society.”
Each initiative, which will evolve and change throughout the campaign, has a faculty or staff champion who partners with the investing donor to carry out the project.
“This campaign may be different than others you have seen,” Kevorkian said. “Rather than providing you a menu of giving options, we invite you to join us as an investor by sharing your feedback and helping to both shape and fund these project initiatives. By partnering with our donors, each contributor will be able to witness substantial change and progress within the area they choose to invest in.”
The initiative of the $15 million campaign is to offer a best-in-class applied education that is accessible to all students and which provides the support and resources needed for each student to find success.
An overview of each pillar:
1. Scholarships
Fifty-five percent of enrolled students are Pell-eligible, meaning their families face exceptional financial need in paying for college. The cost of tools, housing, meals, textbooks, travel and other living expenses can be cost prohibitive. The Scholarships pillar includes initiatives that make attending SUNY Morrisville more affordable and accessible.
2. Student Support
SUNY Morrisville serves students who are bright and capable, but often unprepared for the rigors of college academia. This pillar includes projects that impact a student’s ability to remain enrolled and complete their degree requirements by providing the resources they will need to find success in college and their career.
3. Academic Opportunities
Academic Opportunities maximize student potential, prepare graduates for the workforce, provide opportunities for prospective students to experience the SUNY Morrisville campus and academic programs, and provide technological advances to reach as many students as possible. It is imperative that students are trained to industry standards with current and state-of-the-art facilities, tools and equipment to provide them with the knowledge and experience they need to hit the ground running after graduation.
4. Operational Improvements
Operational Improvement initiatives build the capacity of the college and create institutional efficiency by maximizing our campus resources, strengths, infrastructure and personnel to ensure the long-term success of the college. Looking at areas of energy consumption, opportunities to educate adult learners, diversifying funding sources and expanding non-degree coursework are all vital areas of improvement for long-term, institution-wide success.
For more information, visit the Campaign for Morrisville webpage.
