Hope College Press Releases

THIS PAGE HAS MOVED. THE NEW ADDRESS IS -
http://www.hope.edu/pr/pressreleases/

Hope Expands "Legacies: A Vision of Hope"
Campaign Goal to $105 Million

Posted January 30, 2002

HOLLAND -- The progress of the initial fund- raising efforts for the "Legacies: A Vision of Hope" capital campaign at Hope College has led to an increase in the goal to $105 million, college officials announced today.

The college's Board of Trustees authorized during its January meeting an increase in the scope of "Legacies: A Vision of Hope" from $85 million to $105 million by adding the DeVos Fieldhouse project into the overall campaign.

The move reflects the progress thus far in raising money for both efforts, according to Dr. James E. Bultman, president of Hope.

"This is a special tribute to the generosity and faithfulness of the Hope constituency and the Holland community," he said.

The campaign was launched in October of 2000 with three major initiatives: building a new science center and renovating the Peale Science Center; increasing endowment; and addressing a variety of other short-term and long-term facility and space needs, including especially the construction of the Martha Miller Center.

According to Bultman, funding is about two-thirds complete for the campaign's major building projects. The percentage for the campaign overall is a bit higher--the college has raised about $82 million of the new $105 million overall goal.

The new science center, which will be connected to the west side of the Peale Science Center, will double the size of the current building and will include classrooms, laboratories, and office and storage space. Peale Science Center, which opened in 1973, will be updated to better meet contemporary teaching and research needs and today's significantly higher enrollment. The trustees voted during the January meeting to move ahead with the new construction, which is expected to take about 18 months. The new construction and renovation are expected to total $36 million.

Some $30 million of the campaign total is earmarked for endowment, which provides support for every dimension of the college. Emphases include student scholarships; faculty research funds and chairs; support for the academic program, community outreach, internships and the student development program; and funds for equipment needs and library resources.

The $19 million designated for enhancing and expanding other campus facilities includes construction of the Martha Miller Center, which will house the departments of communication and modern and classical languages. The building's site is not yet finalized. Other projects include renovation of buildings such as Dimnent Memorial Chapel, Graves Hall and Lubbers Hall and the Dow Center, the latter of which will feature expanded facilities for the college's dance program.

The DeVos Fieldhouse project was announced as a separate fund-raising initiative in March of 2001, anchored by a $7.5 million leadership gift from the Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation. Fund-raising has since been spearheaded by James Jurries, a Holland resident and 1963 Hope graduate. The project will total approximately $20 million.

The building is intended to meet many of the spectator facility needs for not only the college, but also the Holland Christian Schools, other area schools and the Holland community. The facility will serve as the new home court for the college's men's basketball team, which has played its home games at the Holland Civic Center since 1954-55. The building will be located on the eastern gateway to the campus, although the specific site is still being determined.

While the building projects will significantly reshape the look of campus and the neighboring downtown area, most visibly the eastern gateway, Bultman noted that they are especially exciting from Hope's perspective for the effect they will have on the college's work of educating students.

"Hope College is not about building buildings. Hope is about providing facilities that will enable students and professors to perform at the very highest levels," he said. "The science center, Martha Miller Center and DeVos Fieldhouse projects are tangible evidence of that commitment. These are exciting projects that will change the face of Hope and improve its already lofty position in undergraduate Christian liberal arts education."

While pleased with the total raised thus far, Bultman noted that fund-raising for "Legacies: A Vision of Hope" will be continuing in earnest as the campaign continues through the end of 2003, particularly as the college expands its focus from leadership gifts to the Hope constituency in general.

-30-