Why Your Gift Matters
In just a few short years, we will be celebrating our Bicentennial. No matter what measure you choose, that is a remarkable feat. It is even more remarkable when you consider all the obstacles this institution has struggled with throughout its history.
Its establishment as a female academy in 1822, a time when educating women was neither valued nor a priority, was remarkable.
The contributions of the Hobbs family to make it possible to build Founders Hall was remarkable.
The fact that the institution did not close for a single day during the Civil War was remarkable.
The fact that the institution survived a significant outbreak of typhoid fever and continued to operate was remarkable.
The transition from a female to a coeducational college in 1930 was remarkable.
The creation of the hosiery factory that allowed students to earn their tuition, room, and board during the height of the Depression was remarkable.
The “Second Northern Invasion” of the 1960s was remarkable.
The transition from the Methodist Church to become a part of the Alabama Community College System was remarkable.
And our transition to become a fully autonomous institution with a brand new Board of Trustees in 2012 was remarkable.
But we are not done with being remarkable. We are about to tackle another obstacle, building a meaningful endowment for the University to ensure our future. And we will need you to be remarkable as well by supporting this incredibly important initiative.
Financially, the University is more stable than it has ever been in the past. We have an exceptional faculty and staff who have done Herculean work to serve our students. After losing about 30% of our state funding in recent years, we have worked with our legislative delegation to work our way back, and in recent years, we have seen modest increases, for which we are grateful. But to make our next remarkable move into the future, we must have the stability of a sound endowment.
If you care about this institution, please understand that we need your support now to accomplish this feat. If this institution has given you the opportunity for a remarkable life, then now is the time to make an investment in our future so that we can continue to be, remarkable.
Dr. Keith Ferguson
Vice President for University Advancement
Athens State University