Apr 16, 2021 | NEWS | By Isaac Yee | Photo by Daniel deKoning
On April 6, Colorado College received a $33.5 million future estate donation, the largest gift from an individual donor in the school’s history. The gift was made by a donor who wished to remain anonymous.
“We cannot express how grateful we are to receive this unprecedented gift on behalf of the Colorado College community,” Acting Co-President Mike Edmonds said in a news release.
Edmonds continued, “The donor who made this bequest for the future is showing gratitude for the powerful impact the college has on its students now — including our efforts towards anti-racism and becoming more accessible — and entrusting CC to create even greater opportunities for thousands of students in the years ahead.”
“Colorado College has given so much to me, and it brings me great joy to see how CC positively changes the lives of students,” the donor said. They added that “this is where our next leaders are inspired. My wish is to keep that brilliance and spark bright for future generations.”
The donor said the gift was to support the future needs of the school as well as provide more funding for the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College. “This donor, through their extraordinary bequest, will make a transformational difference for the future of the Fine Arts Center,” Acting Co-President Robert Moore said.
Half of the $33.5 million donation will benefit the Fine Arts Center, according to its director, Idris Goodwin.
Speaking to The Catalyst, Goodwin said, “The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College is beyond grateful for this incredible and generous gift. As we strive to foster impact by supporting artists, educators, students, and communities across our region, generosity of this magnitude further cements our presence for future generations.”
Goodwin said “it will likely be decades before the funds are received” since the gift was an estate bequest. He added that the Fine Arts Center is not actively making plans for how the gift will be used, saying that will be up to the leadership in place when the gift is realized.
The gift comes as CC’s ‘Building on Originality’ funding drive is set to end in December of this year. The campaign aims to raise $435 million from at least 50% of CC alumni. As of April 13, the drive has raised $424.3 million.