PHILANTHROPHY
PHILANTHROPHY
Second Century Campaign surpasses goal
by Jack Williams
The Second Century Campaign, a drive to enhance intercollegiate athletics at Virginia Tech, scored a goal and more.
Campaign chairman Joe Thomas of Salem announced at a luncheon Feb. 27 that the drive netted $18.6 million—$1.6 million more than the original goal.
"Fantastic!" Thomas said. "When we started this effort three years ago, a lot of people said it would be impossible to reach our goal of $17 million. But the volunteers in the field and the leadership we had from Virginia Tech made it a reality. This is one of the happiest days of my life."
Thomas praised the efforts of his three vice-chairpersons, Bill Jamerson '56 of Appomattox, Carol Rector '85 of Nokesville, and Lee Tait '41 of Richmond.
Funds raised will be used in a variety of ways. Contributions will help support athletic scholarships, both on an annual basis and through endowments. Virginia Tech's endowment for athletics now exceeds $11 million—one of the highest totals at any university.
Funds from the campaign also will be used to pay for a number of capital projects, including the Burrows-Burleson Tennis Complex which was completed in February 1992. The tennis complex is regarded as one of the finest facilities of its kind in the United States. A gift from the F.C. Merryman family of Rustburg helped make possible renovations in the Lane Stadium football press box. In addition, other renovations on Lane Stadium will begin soon, due in part to the generous gifts of the Wesley Worsham family of Kilmarnock, Va. Other capital projects include construction of a new press box at English Baseball Park, the modernization of the ground floor of the Jamerson Athletic Center, and the construction of a new outdoor track and field complex.
The campaign also raised more than $3 million in athletic initiative funds that will allow the athletic department to take care of unbudgeted items and emergencies.
University President James McComas said the success of the campaign will serve as a great lift to Virginia Tech athletics. "There is not a college in the university that is not ranked in the top 20 in its field," he said. "With the success of the campaign, we can now be as successful athletically as we are academically. In the past, we haven't had the resources to compete with many of our peer institutions."
Dave Braine, Virginia Tech's director of athletics said, "Now we can go full speed ahead in our continued drive to make Virginia Tech one of the top athletic programs in the country."
First professorship in property management endowed
A professorship in residential property management has been endowed in the College of Human Resources.
This endowment of the first professorship in residential property management at Virginia Tech is the result of a combined effort by the college and the property management industry. Together they established the country's first four-year degree program in residential property management in 1985.
Rosemary Goss, associate professor and program advisor, says members of the professional advisory board are always eager to work with the students by helping them become aware of career opportunities and the day-to-day types of problems that arise.
Income from this endowment will qualify for matching funds through the Commonwealth of Virginia's Eminent Scholar program.
Virginia Tech Magazine Volume 15, Number 3 Spring 1993