Campus Update

Trinity Honors Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi ’62
and Governor Kathleen Sebelius ’70 at Gala Event

Trinity College honored two women leaders for their outstanding achievements and public service on September 25, 2003. House Democratic Leader Nancy D’Alesandro Pelosi (D-CA) and Kansas Governor Kathleen Gilligan Sebelius (D) were presented with honorary Doctor of Laws degrees from their alma mater at a Gala event, “A Celebration of Trinity Women’s Leadership.”

Nancy Pelosi is the first woman in American history to lead a major party in the U.S. Congress when she was overwhelmingly elected by her colleagues in the fall of 2002 as Democratic Leader of the House of Representatives. Congresswoman Pelosi has served in the House of Representatives since 1987, representing California’s Eighth District which includes most of the city of San Francisco.

In 2002, Kathleen Gilligan Sebelius was elected the 44th Governor of Kansas, pledging change and cooperation to move Kansas forward. She was the first Democrat to win an open seat in a statewide election in Kansas in 60 years. She is one of only 23 women ever to serve as governor of a state in the United States, 17 of whom were elected, with six currently serving. Governor Sebelius served in the Kansas House of Representatives for seven years (1987-1994), until her election to the Office of Insurance Commissioner in 1994.

Governor Sebelius and Congresswoman Pelosi were presented with honorary degrees by Trinity College Board Chair Peggy O’Brien ’69 and President Patricia McGuire ’74. President McGuire also announced the establishment of the Trinity Institute for Women’s Leadership, a non-partisan academic center devoted to teaching, learning and research on issues of concern to women.

Trinity Surpasses Centennial Campaign Goal of $12 Million, Meets the Kresge Challenge!

Campaign Marks Largest Fundraising Initiative in the History of the College

As Trinity alumnae gathered for the Reunion Luncheon in the Trinity Center for Women and Girls in Sports in June, President Patricia McGuire ’74 announced that the College exceeded the Centennial Campaign goal of $12 million and successfully met the Kresge Challenge. President McGuire was joined by Peggy Hoffman O’Brien ’69, chair of the Board of Trustees, Sr. Margaret Claydon ’45, president emerita, and Betsy A. Griffith ’78, president of the Alumnae Association of Trinity College, to celebrate the significant milestone.

The Centennial Campaign raised $12.2 million, marking the completion of the College’s first capital campaign and concluding the largest fundraising effort in Trinity’s history.

The priority focus of the Centennial Campaign was to support the Trinity Center for Women and Girls in Sports, a $20 million, state-of-the-art athletic complex designed to serve the campus community and the youth in the Washington community.

The Kresge Challenge was launched in Fall 2001, when the Kresge Foundation awarded Trinity a $650,000 challenge grant. To meet the Kresge Challenge, the College had to complete the $12 million Centennial Campaign; at the time, the Campaign total was $9 million. Trinity received the Kresge Foundation’s grant this fall.

More than $9.5 million of the $12.2 million raised for the Campaign came from Trinity alumnae and alumnae organizations, including two $1 million gifts from individual alumnae, $1.7 million in bequests and $150,000 from the Alumnae Association. Nearly 1,600 alumnae (22 percent) participated in the Campaign; the average gift size was $5,697.

Trinity’s Centennial Campaign significantly increased foundation and corporate support for the College. Trinity received more than $1.8 million in grants from foundations, including the Kresge Foundation, Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, Fannie Mae Foundation, Arcana Foundation and the Philip L. Graham Fund. Corporate support totaled more than $1 million, with gifts from more than 100 corporations, including Wachovia Bank, Pepsi-Cola, Verizon, KPMG LLP, Chevy Chase Bank, Pepco, Deloitte and Horning Brothers.

“The broad support that the Centennial Campaign generated among alumnae, friends, foundations and corporations reflects the renewed confidence in Trinity’s future, and builds a strong platform for the College’s growth,” said President McGuire.

“We are grateful to each and every donor for the generous support that made the Campaign a success and the Trinity Center a reality.”

THANK YOU!
The Trinity College community is deeply grateful to the alumnae, friends, foundations and corporations whose generosity made the Centennial Campaign a great success and made the dream of the Trinity Center a wonderful reality! Watch your mailboxes in the new year for a complete Campaign Report, Honor Roll of Campaign Donors and Report on the Future of Trinity College.