Spirit of Shenandoah Campaign Reaches $55 Million Milestone

Posted March 13, 2008:

Shenandoah University, announced its Spirit of Shenandoah comprehensive campaign has reached $55 million toward its $65 million goal. >>

Past board chairs James R. Wilkins, Jr. and Harry Smith serve as co-chairs of the Executive Committee of the Spirit of Shenandoah comprehensive campaign.

The work of the Shenandoah University's board of trustees is instrumental to the success of the Spirit of Shenandoah campaign, which has achieved the $55 million mark toward its $65 million goal.

Shenandoah University's Spirit of Shenandoah comprehensive campaign totals has reached $55 million. The campaign goal is $65 million.

The campaign stood at $50.8 million on the first day of the fiscal year, July 1, 2007.

"To have raised this much in a little over four years shows the remarkable confidence this region has in the leadership of the university," said John Stokely, who was chair of the board of trustees when the university launched the campaign.

The university has already realized significant progress since the campaign began, and the endowment fund increased from $41 million to $50 million, including several capital improvements:

Halpin-Harrison Hall, the new home of the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business, welcomed students in January, on the first day of the spring semester.
The Vickers Communications Center, home of the Shenandoah Television Center and ABC affiliate TV3 Winchester, opened in March 2007.
The Kathryn Perry-Werner End-Zone Building at SU's Shentel Stadium was dedicated at the beginning of the 2006 football season.
A three-level parking garage, also completed in 2006, to accommodate a growing student population.
Brandt Student Center, an $8 million, 40,000-square-foot building, will be ready to serve student activities and organizations in late spring.

Harry Smith, forme board chair and campaign co-chair, said the campaign executive committee will continue to place a high priority on the endowment fund.

"A larger endowment, ultimately $100,000, will make Shenandoah more affordable and academically competitive while improving its ability to attract high-achieving students and senior-level faculty," Smith said.

The university's master plan calls for music and athletic facilities to be built in the future.

Jimmy Wilkins, trustee and campaign co-chair, said, "Shenandoah's campaign is by far the largest fund-raising effort any organization in the Shenandoah Valley has ever tackled. It's not surprising that even though Shenandoah is not the oldest private university in the state of Virginia, it has grown to be the largest."

Shenandoah University is a comprehensive Level VI private university with an enrollment of nearly 3,300 students in six schools: College of Arts & Sciences, Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business, Shenandoah Conservatory, Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy, the School of Health Professions (Athletic Training, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physician Assistant Studies, Physical Therapy and Respiratory Care) and the School of Education & Human Development. The university offers nearly 90 programs of study at the undergraduate, graduate and professional levels. For further information, contact the Office of Marketing & Communications at (540) 665-4510 or visit www.su.edu.