Marilee Lorusso
Editor in Chief

With plans set to build the Sara and Michael Abraham Campus Center, fundraising efforts are continuing to raise a total of $26.1 million in order to receive matched donations.

“It’s really very exciting,” President Stephen Morgan said.

The University of La Verne has until Dec. 31 to raise the money necessary to receive a waiting Kresge Foundation grant of $600,000, which the Abrahams will be matching with another $600,000 as a part of their total $6.5 million commitment.

At a town hall meeting on Oct. 29, Morgan and Vice President of University Relations Jean Bjerke made an enthusiastic and comical presentation to the faculty of ULV to provide information on the paver fundraiser.

The pavers range in price from $250 to $5,000 and will be located around the center in the Frank and Nadine Johnson Family Plaza.

Morgan said in the presentation that the pavers can say pretty much anything, from political statements to congratulatory notes.

The renovation of the Supertents into the Sports Science and Athletics Pavilion and the Plaza was a part of the first stage of the campus’ transformation.

“It has been the most ambitious project the University has even undertaken,”Bjerke said of the fundraising effort.

This effort has included presentations to potential donors, mailings and phone calls to alumni and of course, the pavers, which are available for purchase by anyone.

Both Bjerke and Executive Vice President Phil Hawkey said Morgan has been the leader in this campaign with presentations to potential donors and hosting donors in his own home to talk about the campaign.

Bjerke said the response from faculty and staff has also been great, with some showing even more desire to pledge after the town hall presentation.

“The staff has been extraordinary in their gifts,” Bjerke said.

Bjerke said about one-fourth of the donors are people who are brand new to the University, and about two-thirds is made up of alumni.

As of Nov. 6, ULV had $1.77 million, but as of Nov. 22, Bjerke said the total left to raise is $1.52 million.

Hawkey, who is mainly involved with design and construction, said the Campus Center will change student life at La Verne.

“This building is going to have a stronger impact,” Hawkey said.

A part of the optimistic Campus Center Project fundraising team, Hawkey said this effort is a chance for individuals to get involved with the University.

“It is growing friends and asking people to invest in the University and our mission,” Hawkey said. “It’s kind of a living tribute. It is something they can put their name on.”

This campaign has also been rewarding to ULV in other ways. The University was awarded the Council for Advancement and Support of Education Gold Medal Award for fundraising in 2006.

If the goal is not met by the deadline, there is a chance that construction may be affected, and Morgan, Hawkey and Bjerke all said the commitments from all donors must be promised and finalized before any actual activity begins.

Although the Dec. 31 deadline is looming around the corner, everyone is optimistic that the goal will be reached in time.

“There is a high degree of confidence that we will meet our fundraising goal,” Hawkey said.

“We feel it is not an option to not make it,”Bjerke said.

Marilee Lorusso can be reached at mlorusso@ulv.edu.