Erskine surpasses scholarship fund goal

DUE WEST, SC – July 20, 2010 –  A tough year ended triumphantly June 30 as Erskine College and Seminary surpassed its Annual Fund goal by more than $300,000.

Erskine Director of Development Wes McAllister said more than $2.5 million was raised through the annual scholarship fund drive. The Annual Fund goal for the period July 1, 2009-June 30, 2010 was $2.2 million.

“The success of the Annual Fund this year is testimony that Erskine has a work to do for generations to come or as long as God wills it,” McAllister said.

The struggling economy, strife between the institution and its founding denomination, the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, and other factors made this Annual Fund drive more of a challenge than most years, he said.

“The important thing to remember is that in the end, the Annual Fund is about students and about those who have gone before making it possible for students to have an enjoyable experience at Erskine similar to what that they had,” McAllister said. “Every gift benefits students — it’s not selective. There’s an impact on each student.”

Coming through, as Erskine alumni and friends have this past year, he said, is typical for the Erskine community.

“Erskine folks are very adapted to tough times, and sacrificial giving by a lot of these people is nothing new,” McAllister said.

The Annual Fund again played a major role in helping the institution achieve a balanced budget for the fourth year in a row, he said.

“We have our alumni and friends to thank for that,” McAllister said.

Setting the pace were a number of individual classes that surpassed their monetary goals. They were the classes of 1950, 1953, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1973, 1983, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2007 and 2008.

“A lot of credit for work in the trenches goes to the class representatives for pushing the class challenge for each individual class,” McAllister said.

He thanked Annual Fund Co-Chairs Trip McGill ’82 and Zelda Oates ’51 for their encouragement and work to help the institution exceed its goal.

 “The alumni and friends of Erskine continue to go above and beyond in their support of the college and seminary,” Director of Alumni Affairs Buddy Ferguson said.  “We’re so thankful for that sacrificial giving and for their support of Dr. Ruble to help balance the budget for the fourth straight year. We know that they’ll continue to support Dr. Norman as he begins his service to Erskine.”

McAllister concurred with Ferguson that people gave generously not only because of their love for Erskine, but also for former president Dr. Randall T. Ruble.

“The standard was set by our now retired president, who offered a tremendous amount of encouragement, faith, hope and calmness,” McAllister said.

Surpassing the goal is a testimony to Ruble and his wife, Molly, who have served Erskine for so many years.

“His was a steady hand in trembling circumstances,” McAllister said of Ruble.

The director of development said there is reason for optimism about the success of next year’s Annual Fund drive with the arrival of new Erskine President Dr. David A. Norman, along with overall positive results from the General Synod of the ARP Church meeting in June and a “feeling on campus that Erskine’s best days are ahead.”

McAllister said the goal would not have been surpassed without the significant contributions of the advancement team, including Ferguson, Associate Director of Alumni Corey Anthony, and administrative assistants Ann Hawthorne, Dena Hodge and Lori Mulzer.

“Their dedicated hard work and diligence all the way to the finish to meet the goal played a vital role in our success,” McAllister said.