SALEM, Mass.
,
May 6, 2023
/PRNewswire/ — On
May 6, 2023
, Salem State University announced the public launch of a
$75 million
fundraising campaign, the largest philanthropic endeavor in the history of
Massachusetts’
nine state universities.
The
Meet the Moment
™
campaign combines deep investments in student success with the revitalization of
Salem State’s
campus, positioning the university to meet the needs of its students today and the North Shore region for decades to come.
At the
May 6
public launch event, about 400 students, alumni, donors, and community members came together at
Salem State’s
O’Keefe Complex to learn more about the goals of
Meet the Moment
™
, which are all centered around student success.
Salem State
President
John D. Keenan
announced that the university is already more than 50 percent of the way to its
$75 million
fundraising goal, having raised
$40 million
to date.
“Members of our community on- and off-campus know that the future of this region, from the opportunities we offer to the vitality of the workforce and its civic leaders, rely on a strong
Salem State
. Our students go on to become the professionals that our region needs: teachers, scientists, nurses, business leaders, social workers, public servants, and more,” said Keenan. “We put students first in every decision and dollar we invest in
Salem State
, and our campaign priorities demonstrate that commitment.”
Meet the Moment
™
is the second and largest comprehensive campaign in
Salem State’s
almost 170-year history. The effort has been quietly gaining momentum since 2020 when the Salem State University Foundation, Inc. and the Salem State University Board of Trustees voted unanimously to support it.
“Building partnerships in support of this campaign has shown us just how much enthusiasm there is in our community for
Salem State’s
mission,” said
Cheryl Webster Crounse
, executive director of the Salem State University Foundation, Inc., and vice president of advancement. ”
Salem State
is fueling the workforce of the North Shore, and we take great pride in our commitment to engage and support any student who has aspirations of receiving a higher education degree. We know they will go on to do great things for our community and strengthen the region as a result.”
”
Salem State
faculty and staff go to great lengths to support students, and we’ve seen extraordinary collaboration across campus in establishing the campaign’s priorities and funding opportunities,” said
Ryan Fisher
, professor of biology and member of the Campaign Steering Committee. “The philanthropic support we receive through
Meet the Moment
™ builds on our academic strength and provides opportunities for research and critical resources and equipment that help to aid our scholarly work.”
Early momentum following record-breaking gifts
The
$40 million
raised to-date includes two recent gifts which broke records as the largest cash gifts to a
Massachusetts
state university: a
$10 million
gift to the McKeown School of Education from Cummings Foundation in
August 2022
to strengthen and diversify the educator pipeline; and a
$6 million
gift from
Kim Gassett-Schiller
’83, ’18H and
Philip Schiller
in 2021 to create Viking Completion Grants, which have helped 156 juniors and seniors overcome their final financial hurdle to earning their degree.
“Receiving a Viking Completion Grant lifted the stress and burden of trying to find the funds to complete my studies on my limited income,” said
Diana Baez
’22. “I plan to advance in my career and continue to be an example for my children. I want them to be proud of my academic accomplishments and know the importance of being well prepared and educated to launch a career, face life’s challenges and be an engaged community member.”
About the campaign priorities
Student Financial Assistance
As the funding model for state universities has evolved, with a decline in state support causing tuition and fees to climb, increased investments in student support strategies like scholarships, Viking Completion Grants and the Student Emergency Fund create access and opportunity for current and future students. The campaign closes the financial gap, which is on average
$3,500
for a student, ensuring they can take full advantage of their education without the burden of heavy employment schedules or excessive debt, setting them up to be strong contributors to the vitality of the North Shore and beyond. Within the graduating class of 2023 alone, 218 students have received direct financial support from members of
Salem State’s
philanthropic community.
“When I was a student in 1983, students paid 30 percent of the cost to attend the university, with the Commonwealth covering the balance,” explains
Kim Gassett-Schiller
’83, ’18H. “Today’s students pay 70 percent. The
Meet the Moment
™
campaign will dramatically ease financial hurdles and give hard-working students a bridge to help them earn their degree.”
Student Success
The campaign will expand peer-to-peer mentoring and grow the number of success coaches serving students with distinct needs, including first-generation students and student veterans. The university’s commitment to meeting students where they are provides them with the spaces and programs, academic and college navigation skills, social support, networking, and mentoring that enhances the college experience.
SSU BOLD
By modernizing facilities and unifying the campus’s physical footprint,
SSU BOLD
embodies a vision for
Salem State
that is more collaborative, more student-centered and better positioned to prepare students for success. State-of-the-art laboratories, including nursing and occupational therapy simulation labs, will energize science and healthcare programs. As a result, the next generation of highly qualified nursing students will have the advantage of spending up to 30 percent of their required clinical hours in hands-on experiences in simulation labs, preparing them to thrive in a 21
st
century economy.
Unrestricted Support
Increased support for flexible unrestricted resources and emerging needs are critical to meeting unexpected strategic or entrepreneurial opportunities. These funds support a wide range of activities and programs: from Student Emergency Fund grants and needs that address food and housing insecurity to access to tools and technology that replicate real-world working environments. Unrestricted funding is crucial to directly supporting students, supplementing financial aid, and fueling efforts around civic engagement, inclusive excellence and the university’s preparation to thrive as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and Minority Serving Institution (MSI).
Community leadership
The campaign is funded by the Salem State University Foundation, Inc., with strategic support from the volunteer Campaign Steering Committee led by co-chairs Midge DeSimone ’76, of
Swampscott
, former trustee and former member of the Salem State University Foundation, Inc. board of directors;
Kim Gassett-Schiller
’83, ’18H, of
Half Moon Bay, California
, member of the Salem State University Foundation, Inc. board of directors;
Nicole Goggin
’14, ’17G, of
Peabody
, former member of Bertolon School of Business (BSB) Alumni Network board of directors;
Donna Katzman
’78, ’98G, of
Marblehead
, former member of Salem State University Foundation, Inc. board of directors; and
Elliot Katzman
’78, of
Marblehead
, former trustee and member of the BSB Advisory Board. All committee members serve as advocates for the university and campaign and are committed to providing opportunities for current and future students.
“With more than 80 percent of our alumni staying in the region after graduation,
Salem State
is a critical contributor to the intellectual and economic vitality of the North Shore,” says
Nicole Goggin
’14, ’17G. “As a public university, our student body reflects the rich diversity of our communities, and this campaign is our moment to evolve our programs and services to help students with different goals and backgrounds navigate their academic journey.”
“The Salem State University Foundation Inc. is proud to support the work of the campaign and thrilled to witness the immediate impact that philanthropy has made on the campus and the students,” said
Annalisa Di Palma
, chair of the foundation board of directors. “We call on our entire university community to support the
Meet the Moment
™
campaign as we build on our strength and continue to invest in student success. As a proud daughter and sister of
Salem State
graduates, and a passionate
North Shore community
member, my husband Dino and I recognize
Salem State’s
position as a powerful force for upward mobility and equity in the region especially for those students who have historically been underrepresented in higher education.”
To learn more about the
Meet the Moment™
campaign, visit
salemstate.edu/moment
.
About the Salem State University Foundation, Inc.
The Salem State University Foundation, Inc., was founded in 1977 as a 501(c) (3) private, not-for-profit organization. In partnership with Salem State University, the foundation engages our community, inspires philanthropy and stewards resources to invest in student success. In so doing, the foundation provides the opportunity to meet the needs of the Salem State community not met through public funding.
About Salem State University
Salem State University, established in 1854, is a comprehensive, public institution of higher learning located approximately 15 miles north of
Boston, Massachusetts
. The university enrolls about 6,500 undergraduate and graduate students and is home to 32 undergraduate programs, 30 graduate programs, and 22 licensure only and/or graduate certificate programs.
Salem State
proudly participates in the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement and has shown a student voting rate above the national average, earning it a Silver Seal from the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. In 2020,
Salem State
received Carnegie Community Engagement Classification. The university is designated a Best for Vets College by Military Times.
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