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Hartsville, S.C. — Coker College officials have announced the successful conclusion of the school’s $22.6 million Gateway to the New Century fundraising campaign. The four-year campaign surpassed its goal by over $680,000 to raise $23,288,334 for improvements to the college’s living and learning environment.

“This was the largest campaign in Coker’s history and we are extremely pleased with the results,” said Coker College President Dr. Jim Dawson. “The lives of students at Coker now and in the years to come will be profoundly influenced by the success of this campaign.”

The effects of the Gateway Campaign can already be seen on Coker’s campus. Last year, the college completed the first phase of a campus master plan that includes new landscaping, lighting and sidewalks, and the creation of more outdoor seating areas. Construction will soon begin on a cornerstone of the campaign, the $10 million Charles W. and Joan S. Coker Library-Information Technology Center. The 40,000 square foot center will merge the traditional library with the educational resources of the information age and add over 40,000 volumes to the college’s library collection. More than $10 million will be used for Coker’s academic programs, student life, scholarships and endowment.

Dawson praised the work of the campaign steering committee led by Harris DeLoach of Hartsville, Dr. Howard Tucker of Hartsville, and Penelope Coker Hall of Millbrook, New York. He also acknowledged the continued leadership of Frank Bush, executive vice president for institutional advancement at the college, for spearheading the campaign.

“Their unfailing commitment and triumphant effort has inspired a great number of donors and volunteers to invest in Coker College,” he said.

Like most small liberal arts colleges, Coker had to rely on a relatively small donor base to reach its campaign goal. The Gateway Campaign drew 602 new donors and the college received 14 gifts over $250,000 with seven of them being for $1 million or more. Corporations, including Sonoco Products Company and Progress Energy, and foundations were major contributors to the Gateway Campaign.

The Kresge Foundation played a key factor in the final stages of the campaign. The Michigan-based foundation awarded Coker a challenge grant of $500,000 towards the building and equipping of the new library and information technology center.

“Being awarded a challenge grant from The Kresge Foundation, one of the most prestigious foundations in the country, is a highlight of my career,” said Bush, who has overseen two other successful campaigns in 30 years at Coker. “The Kresge Challenge gave us the extra edge and motivated alumni, faculty, staff to join other donors to put Coker over the top.”

To receive the grant, Coker needed to secure participation from a significant number of new donors, including alumni, faculty and staff, to meet a $1.1 million fundraising goal. At the end of the challenge, a total of 129 of Coker’s faculty and staff and 536 of Coker’s alumni participated in the Kresge Challenge. As a result, the college surpassed the Kresge fundraising goal by over $146,000.

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July 28, 2005