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Alumni Giving

Fundraising (or development) is an essential ingredient for the Department's success and has a direct impact on our students.  We are always thankful to those that assist us in achieving our and our students' goals by giving back to the department.

Often those who decide to create a fund or decide to contribute to an existing fund do so for very personal reasons. Nevertheless, some general groupings can be made.

For example, alumni of the Department's undergraduate program may feel very strongly about how the Department's faculty and programs impacted their lives and therefore choose to contribute to funds that directly impact the undergraduate program.

Alternatively, we have those alumni who were graduate students in our program and have gone on to successful careers in education, government or industry who choose to contribute to funds that have direct impact on the graduate program.

A third group of friends and alumni simply contribute to general funds so that we may earmark proceeds to some of our most pressing needs.

Over the past two years, we have participated in "targeted" development campaigns to impact very specific areas. In 2006, we decided to target the undergraduate analytical labs to upgrade instrumentation that was old and out of date. The 2006 campaign netted nearly $15,000. By matching this amount with other Department of Chemistry funds, we were able to purchase two rebuilt gas chromatographs and some spectrophotometers.

In 2007, we embarked on a smaller targeted campaign to raise funds to supplement the endowment for the Phillips Prize. The 2007 campaign brought. several warm messages from former awardees and a much deeper appreciation for what our awards and honors mean to our alumni. Donations to this fund of almost $5,000 has helped us to bring it within a factor of two of self-sustaining.

You may not be aware that the Department of Chemistry manages over twenty endowment and gift funds. These various endowment and gift funds are in some cases general in their intended use, while others are targeted for specific departmental activities and awards. We wish to express our gratitude to those who have donated and continue to donate to the Department.

As always, if we can offer any specific assistance or answer any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Making a Donation

If you would like to make a donation to the Department of Chemistry you can do so via the donation web form.  You can give to one of the following funds if you wish:

  • Chemistry Annual Giving Fund - This general fund provides monies for activities that benefit the Department of Chemistry
  • Frederick and Klara Kaufman Memorial Fund - Support for the annual Kaufman Lectures and a fellowship to a new graduate student.
  • Mary Louise Theodore Fund - Provides scholarships to outstanding undergraduate students
  • Phillips Prize Endowment - Cash award and medal for the outstanding Chemistry senior undergraduate.
  • Rex Shepherd Memorial Fund - Created to support graduate students and to fund a future seminar series.