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MILLIGAN COLLEGE, Tenn. (June 29, 2011) — Dr. Donald Jeanes, president of Milligan College, announced thatForward Ever: The Campaign for Milligan College has surpassed its initial $25 million goal, raising $28 million for scholarship, community and wellness initiatives at the college.
“The Forward Ever campaign has honored Milligan’s heritage by preparing for its future,” said Jeanes. “I am pleased and grateful that through gifts and commitments from our alumni and friends, we were able to surpass our original goal. People believe in the mission of Milligan College, and they have invested generously in its future.”
Jeanes, who will retire from Milligan’s presidency on July 15, made the announcement on Wednesday, June 29, at a campus-wide celebration of the campaign’s success. By his side was Dr. Bill Greer, Milligan’s current vice president for institutional advancement who will succeed Jeanes as the 15th president of Milligan.
“This campaign announcement is an appropriate and poignant capstone to Dr. Jeanes’ presidency,” Greer said. “His leadership and vision initiated Forward Ever, and now he can retire from the presidency assured of its successand of the impact it will have on the college’s future.”
Milligan publicly launched the campaign in 2009 in preparation for the college’s 150th anniversary in 2016. The campaign’s title,Forward Ever, is from the lyrics of Milligan’s alma mater and reflects the college’s commitment to growing and moving forward, while remaining committed to its time-honored history of rigorous academics and unwavering Christian commitment.
“We created three initiatives of the campaign—scholarship, community and wellness—and we have been successful in each of these,” Jeanes said.
To date, the campaign has raised $21.5 million for the scholarship initiative, including $7.7 million in gifts toward the endowment; $3.5 million for community initiatives; and $3 million benefitting the wellness initiative.
These funds have provided for 40 new scholarships at Milligan, as well as many new and improved campus buildings and programs.
A few of the most visible results of Forward Ever are the brick and mortar projects on Milligan’s campus, including the construction of the Gregory Center for the Liberal Arts, the LEED Gold Certified Gilliam Wellness Center, the Citizen’s Bank Athletic Training Center and the Tennis Pavilion at the Mathes Tennis Center.
Many buildings have undergone renovations, including McCormick Dining Center, Steve Lacy Fieldhouse, Derthick Hall, the Paxson Communications Building, the Mary B. Martin Auditorium in Seeger Memorial Chapel and several others. The campus also has benefitted from many beautification projects, such as new artwork, signage and landscaping.
Finally, Forward Ever also allowed for new degree programs and majors, as well as the expansion of existing programs, including Milligan’s diversity, servant-leadership, campus ministry and sustainability initiatives.
“Forward Ever has positively affected every student, every program and every corner of Milligan’s campus,” Jeanes said. “Its impact is far-reaching. And even as we celebrate its success, we realize other needs remain. Our steadily increasing enrollment has created a need for additional student housing. We have great plans for the future of Milligan College, so we appreciate the support we have received so far, as well as the continued support of our alumni and friends.”