Dr. John Carson
during the Gold Campaign Kickoff
Erskine Gold
Campaign Seeking To Accomplish Eight Goals
Eight goals are at the center of the $35.3 million Gold Campaign announced
Thursday by Erskine College officials.
Money raised through the campaign will be used for endowed professorships
and scholarships, a campus master plan, the Drummond Center, the Erskine
Building, Memorial Hall, the seminary and the athletic program.
The eight “pillars” provide the college with a foundation
and strategy for the campaign efforts, Erskine President Dr. John Carson
said.
Specifically, the objectives are:
• Memorial Hall Construction and Renovation – “We have
seen tremendous growth in our music program,” Carson said, but the
present music building is inadequate for the school's increasing needs.
The college plans to build a new $5 million music education facility,
as well as spend $1.96 million to renovate historic Memorial Hall. The
new educational center will house classrooms, faculty offices, a performance
hall, an electronic music studio, a computer lab, and more. The Memorial
Performance Hall will be modernized while preserving its classic structure.
Memorial is the cornerstone of the Gold Campaign, reflecting Erskine’s
emphasis on music and the fine arts as integral to a liberal arts education.
• Master Plan – Erskine developed its last master plan more
than a decade ago and that plan has served as a blueprint for improving
the appearance of the campus. Carson said it is time to “fully realize"
the plan. The men's and women's campuses merged in 1927 into a united
Erskine but their structures remained separated. The new Alumni Pathway
will connect the two campuses into one, stretching from the towers of
the Erskine Building, representing knowledge, to the steps of the ARP
Church, representing morals. The college will put about $300,000 into
implementing the plan.
• Endowed Professorships and Scholarships – Carson said these
two goals are linked. “We have identified and retained key scholars,”
Carson said. “We’ve done the same thing with scholarships.”
In a competitive academic environment, additional resources will enable
the college and seminary to attract and retain professors who will invest
their lives in students. Erskine also needs funds to continue its strong
scholarship program. “We’ve been able to assist students who
deserve an Erskine education but couldn’t obtain one with their
own means,” Carson said. Erskine plans to raise $4 million for new
endowed professorships — $2 million for the college and $2 million
for the seminary. The institution plans to commit $8 million for endowed
scholarships — $5 million for the college and $3 million for the
seminary.
• Athletics – The college wants to enhance an athletic tradition
that is more than a century old. “For over 100 years, athletics
have been an important part of the Erskine College experience,”
Carson said. The school plans to provide about $4 million in endowed scholarships
and program support for athletics. The Erskine athletics program has never
been based on a “win at any cost” mindset, but has rather
emphasized “playing with character,” Carson said. Erskine
encourages true scholar-athletes, he said. Erskine College has the highest
graduation rate of any college participating in NCAA athletics in the
state of South Carolina, according to NCAA statistics released in 2002.
• Drummond Center – The goal of the Drummond Center is to
perpetuate statesmanship in South Carolina, while providing new professorships
and a new political science major at Erskine. “This concept grew
out of a heartfelt desire for Erskine to make a difference beyond the
bounds of Due West,” Carson said. The college plans to designate
$3.5 million for the Drummond Center building and $1 million for program
support. "We believe we’ve struck a chord with people who are
tired of partisan bickering and want politicians to do what’s best
for South Carolina," Carson said. The center will be built on the
Erskine campus and will seek to promote civil discourse in a non-partisan
spirit for the betterment of South Carolina. “State Sen. John Drummond
shows that someone can serve in the political process and keep his head
above the partisanship that asks, 'What’s in it for me?'" he
said.
• Erskine Building – The signature academic building on campus
will receive a major upgrade. The building, constructed in 1892, will
be restored to its original majestic stature. The college plans to raise
$1.5 million for the renovation of the structure. “It has tremendous
potential for large convocations, drama and classroom teaching,”
Carson said. “We’re making it technologically sufficient for
the 21st century.”
• Seminary – Erskine Seminary has experienced tremendous growth
in recent years, Carson said. Today, there are 15 full-time professors
and 400 students. “While being true to its denominational roots
in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, Erskine has also bridged
its ministry to a number of other denominations,” he said. Endowed
scholarships and chairs, Carson said, are “key to training students
to serve Christ and his kingdom.” In addition to allocating $3 million
for endowed scholarships and $2 million for endowed professorships, Erskine
plans renovations to both Bowie Divinity Hall and McQuiston Divinity Hall
at a cost of $150,000.
For more information on the Gold Campaign, visit the web site at:
