Community is invited to celebrate with the campus at Homecoming on Sept. 22  Westerville, OH—Otterbein University has successfully exceeded its $50 million comprehensive campaign goal, launched by President Emerita Kathy Krendl, who retired on June 30, 2018.  Michael McGreevey, vice president for institutional advancement, notes, “The success of the Where We Stand Matters campaign is thanks to more than 10,000 donors from all 50 states, with 7,500 donors from Ohio.” More than 4,000 donors made their first gifts to Otterbein in support of the campaign. An impressive 138 new funds were created to support Otterbein students. Donors made gifts to celebrate everything from 50th wedding anniversaries to graduations. Many gifts were made in honor of loved ones. An impressive 60 percent of faculty and staff supported the campaign this fiscal year, a new record for Otterbein. The campaign focuses on three funding priorities:

• Access and Affordability: Ensuring Otterbein’s excellence is an opportunity families can afford.
• Building a Model Community: Building a strong foundation of resources to foster innovation, creativity and learning and support the Otterbein’s hallmark Five Cardinal Experiences experiential learning program.
• Campus Renewal: Advancing Otterbein’s learning experience by enhancing facilities and green spaces.

Gifts have supported everything from scholarships and research and travel funds to building renovations and a new track and turf at the university’s Memorial Stadium. The Point at Otterbein, a unique partnership with the City of Westerville which opened in fall 2016, has already made an impact not only for Otterbein students, but also the central Ohio community, as resident companies continue to add jobs at the facility.  Mark Thresher ’78, chair of Otterbein’s board of trustees and chief financial officer of Nationwide, shares, “The campaign’s success, leading to a significant growth in the university’s culture of philanthropy, is one of many for President Emerita Krendl, whose presidency saw advances in innovation, curriculum, diversity and inclusion, and much more during her nine-year tenure.” The Where We Stand Matters campaign was announced to the public at Homecoming on Sept. 20, 2014. It was the first comprehensive campaign that the institution has commenced in 20 years. The celebration of the campaign will be held at Homecoming on Sept. 22, 2018, where the total amount raised will be announced. The community is invited to attend the festivities. For more information, visit www.otterbein.edu/stand or see what people are saying with #STANDwithOtterbein.