Central College exceeded its goal for the Journey Scholarship Fund receiving $1,723,466 during fiscal year 2023-24 to support annual student scholarships. At Central, 100% of gifts to the Journey Scholarship Fund directly support students. This is a record-high for Central and this fund. For the third year in a row, Central will be able to offer all new incoming students a $1,000 Journey Scholarship.
Overall, Central secured more than $6.13 million during fiscal year 2023-24 to support student scholarships, programming, projects, endowment and operations.
“As a nonprofit, Central is dependent on the generosity of our donors,” says Sunny Gonzales Eighmy, vice president for advancement and a 1999 Central graduate. “We are incredibly grateful to our loyal and long-time supporters and those who contributed to our mission for the first time. To be over $6.13 million in total giving is a great year — excluding estate gifts, the 2024 fiscal year would be our second-best on record.”
The college experienced another strong year for endowments and endowed scholarships, with 13 new scholarships formed, bringing the total of endowed and annual scholarships at the college to more than 1,000. Donations to endowments totaled $1,909,138. Endowed funds established at Central also directly support students and their experiences through a sustainable, long-term legacy of generosity by the donors.
Central was able to create 13 new endowed scholarships and the following were fully funded: Arthur J. and Joyce A DeJong Scholarship, The John Kelly and Charles Rogers Diversity Endowed Scholarship, four Geisler Penquite Scholarships, the Nancy Steward Endowed Scholarship, Mike and Carrie Valster Scholarship and Bob & Jackie Vander Linden Scholarship.
“At a time when the value of college education is being questioned at the national level, we know that Central students are earning degrees that make a difference and when they leave campus, they do so much good in this world,” Eighmy says. “Our students are engaged in their communities and serving others with a heart of compassion. Our caring and wonderful donors make everything possible at Central.”
Highlights of the year’s fundraising activities include:
- A bequest from Shirley and Dirk Van Zante, a 1952 graduate, created a full-tuition scholarship. Central now has 37 full-tuition scholarships to award to students each year.
- Forever Dutch athletics fundraising enabled Central to install a new football turf, replace the video board and scoreboard, and resurface the tennis courts, including new lines for pickleball with over $2.4 million in commitments.
- Forever Dutch® Lager launched and already has funded several new Journey scholarships for students.
- Hoo-Rah Day set a new record for a single day of fundraising, generating $395,487 from 420 amazing donors.
- Geisler Penquite Foundation donated $480,000 for scholarships and endowment.
Central offers many ways to support academic, athletics and student programs. You may make a gift by visiting central.edu/give or by calling 641-628-5154. Contact the Central advancement office for opportunities to volunteer and support students.
