Cottey campaign tops $31 million

Dr. Judy Rogers, president of Cottey College, center, and Carla Bryant Farmer, campaign manager and senior gifts officer (right) pose with hostesses and volunteers at a recent awareness event. This was one of over 71 awareness events that have been held across North America.

Cottey College is getting close to its $35 million goal by topping $31 million., Cottey President Dr. Judy Rogers announced Friday.

A Defining Moment: The Campaign for Cottey College was launched in September 2009 with the goal of raising $35 million within five years.

Under the leadership of Barbara Andes, campaign chairman, the campaign is the first comprehensive campaign in the history of the college.

"This is incredibly exciting news," Rogers said. "We are rapidly closing in on our goal of $35 million, and we are absolutely confident we will reach it by the conclusion of the campaign at the end of January 2014."

Carla Farmer, campaign manager and senior major gifts officer, said the commitment to Cottey is demonstrated far beyond the campaign.

"It's not just the $31 million total that is exciting," Farmer added. "It's seeing that we've exceeded our goal on unrestricted giving and have reached 97 percent of our $10 million goal for scholarships. Our constituents have really caught fire for Cottey and are enthusiastic about the future of the college."

The college's first comprehensive campaign has five priorities: scholarships, faculty chairs, library enhancements, a new fine arts instructional building, and unrestricted giving. Any and all gifts to the college count in the campaign.

The College saw one of its gifts come to fruition in March when the Vanek Family Memorial Field was dedicated. A generous gift from Dorothy Dyer Vanek led to the construction of the Cottey College Comets first home softball field.