Just one year after publicly launching its comprehensive campaign, A World of Good, Central College surpassed its original fundraising goal of $50 million.
The campaign is intended to raise both support for the college and goodwill for communities leading up to Central’s 175-year anniversary celebration in 2028. To date, the college has raised $55.8 million in cash, pledges and planned gifts, and Central family members have logged more than 13,537 hours of service for $453,354 in economic impact. This past spring, the board of trustees increased the fundraising goal to $65 million as it expands its vision for the future of Central and Pella.
“Founded by the citizens of Pella in 1853, Central has a long history of support from its graduates and our home community,” says President Mark Putnam. “We’ve also benefited from transformational investments from longtime foundation and corporate partners whose generosity has accelerated the momentum of this campaign and strengthened opportunities for current and future students.”
Among the campaign’s largest gifts are significant investments from the Geisler Penquite Foundation, Maytag Family Foundation, Noel Cover Foundation, Kuyper Foundation, Pella Rolscreen Foundation and Vermeer Charitable Foundation. Since the quiet phase of the campaign began, those organizations collectively have contributed more than $40 million throughout their longstanding partnerships with the college. Additional multimillion-dollar gifts from corporate partners and private foundations continue to advance Central’s priorities in scholarships, endowment, academic innovation, athletics and campus and community initiatives.
“We are seeing extraordinary momentum because alumni, friends, foundations and corporate partners believe in Central’s mission and its future,” says Sunny Gonzales Eighmy, vice president for advancement and a 1999 Central alumna. “The pace and scale of these multimillion-dollar commitments reflect a deep confidence in the impact Central has on students, families and communities. Their generosity is helping us think bigger about what’s possible as we approach our 175th anniversary.”
Fundraising priorities for the comprehensive campaign include scholarships and endowment support, though every gift to the campaign helps advance Central’s mission. Scholarships remain critically important for students, families and the college. Each year, every Central student receives a $1,000 Journey Scholarship funded entirely by donors — support that must be renewed annually.
The college also offers 343 endowed scholarships. Endowed scholarships are fully funded at $50,000 and a portion of each fund supports students every year in perpetuity.
Both annual and endowed gifts also support learning enrichment, the college’s academic emphasis; Forever Dutch®, Central’s athletics initiative; and Imagine More, which supports community and campus priorities.
A World of Good also emphasizes planned giving and introduces new opportunities for donors to make an impact now and in the future through estate commitments. The Leave A Legacy Challenge encourages donors to document a planned gift today while unlocking an immediate matching contribution directing 10% of the gift’s estimated value (up to $10,000) to scholarships, academics, athletics or a campus program of the donor’s choice.
Funded by Rich ’62 and Mary Roorda Glendening ’62, Emily and Larry Reynen ’71 and the family of Terry Garvin ’72, matching funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The challenge encourages new documented planned gifts, creating a lasting legacy that benefits Central students now and in the future.
