$150 million campaign will provide endowed and annual support for students, faculty and staff, curricular and co-curricular activities, athletics and campus facilities.

Kalamazoo College has launched the public phase of its comprehensive Brighter Light Campaign with the goal of raising $150 million to support its strategic plan, Advancing Kalamazoo College: A Strategic Vision for 2023. One of the four pillars of the strategic plan calls for providing a sustainable source of revenue to support the College’s objectives for years to come. As of today, $108 million has been raised from over 6,100 donors since the quiet phase of the campaign began on July 1, 2018, including 100 percent participation from the College’s Board of Trustees.

The College celebrated the public launch with a special program during homecoming weekend on October 16. At the event, President Jorge G. Gonzalez noted, “Kalamazoo College is launching this comprehensive effort to create access and opportunity for our students, transform our campus to support 21st century scholarship and leadership, and build the endowment for the future. I’m proud to support this campaign, and invite others to join me in helping K continue to develop and inspire future leaders and citizens of the world.”

The Brighter Light Campaign will focus on three priority areas:

• Brighter Opportunities: Endowed scholarships and gifts to the Kalamazoo College Fund give exceptional students the opportunity to attend the College regardless of their financial means, and enable students to start life after graduation with lower student debt. Financial support also provides access for students to fully participate in the K-Plan, the College’s personalized and integrated approach to education, which includes experiences such as study abroad, internships and meaningful research.
• Brighter Minds: Kalamazoo College faculty and staff are dedicated to developing the strengths of every student, preparing them for lifelong learning, intercultural understanding, social responsibility, career readiness and leadership. Investment in faculty and staff enhances the College’s ability to recruit and retain top talent, enrich academic scholarship, and increase personalized support and guidance for students.
• Brighter Experiences: At the heart of a K education is the richness of students’ on-campus experiences—both in and out of the classroom. Many students choose Kalamazoo College knowing they can play the sports they love in college—in fact, nearly 25% of Kalamazoo College students are athletes. Endowed and annual funding for athletics will help support program budgets, ensure equity across all sports, and fund improvements to fields and facilities. Additionally, the College aims to ensure all areas of its beautiful and historic campus can provide welcoming and modernized spaces for students to live, learn and play—today and for years to come.

The campaign is co-chaired by Kalamazoo College Board of Trustee members Amy Upjohn and Jim Heath ’78. “The campaign’s focus on endowment will have tremendous impact on the College as a whole, as well as individually to our faculty, staff and students,” says Upjohn. “The College community and the larger Kalamazoo community benefit one another in so many ways, I truly believe that supporting the College creates a brighter future for our whole community.” Heath adds, “A Kalamazoo College education is a transformative experience. Creating access to the K-Plan and all its components to future generations is a critical pillar of our strategic plan. This campaign is a way for us to build up the endowment and other areas that are necessary to continue K’s great legacy of learning.”

About Kalamazoo College

Kalamazoo College, founded in 1833, is a nationally recognized residential liberal arts and sciences college located in Kalamazoo, Mich. The creator of the K-Plan, Kalamazoo College provides an individualized education that integrates rigorous academics with life-changing experiential learning opportunities.

The Brighter Light Campaign is raising $150 million to provide endowed and annual support for students, faculty and staff, curricular and co-curricular activities, athletics and campus facilities. For more information, visit the Brighter Light Campaign page: www.kzoo.edu/brighterlight