It is easy to be proud of Ithaca College, whose people are making such a difference, here on South Hill and around the world. This special issue of the ICQ features stories of just a few of them, and introduces something that we have been working on quietly for several years and are excited to announce to you now—the Campaign for Ithaca College: Making a World of Difference.

Before I explain further, I’d like to share some of the many pieces of good news that have come from South Hill recently:

-We received more than 12,300 applications this year to fill some 1,520 freshman slots.

The class of 2010 has one of the highest academic profiles in Ithaca College history.

-Approximately 12 percent of this year’s full-time first-year students are members of historically underrepresented minorities.

-For the 10th consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report ranked Ithaca among the top 10 undergraduate and master’s degree–granting institutions in the North.

-The College was also included among USN&WR’s top 10 “Great Schools, Great Prices,” based on the quality of education offered at a reasonable cost.

These last two accolades are quite heartening and ensure that the value of an Ithaca College diploma continues to rise. But we know that to continue attracting the best and brightest, and to continue improving, an institution must be constantly reevaluating itself, adjusting, and evolving. So we regularly engage in self-assessment and strategic planning.

We have made healthy progress in implementing many of the initiatives identified in our most recent institutional plan (2001).

That is why we decided to launch the Campaign for Ithaca College.

We hope you share our excitement as we launch this historic campaign.

First, we assessed the College’s upcoming needs, which meant facing financial realities. We knew we would have to keep adding and enhancing academic programs. We would need to increase scholarship aid to give families some relief in the face of rising costs and decreased government aid. We would have to keep offering new experiential-learning opportunities.

We would need new facilities for our School of Business, with its relatively new M.B.A. program, recent accreditation by the prestigious Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, and commitment to educating ethical global citizens. And we would have to continue supporting our stellar faculty’s research and professional growth.

We would need more residences, designed for today’s students. We would have to provide new facilities for our student-athletes and teams, who have performed brilliantly despite the disadvantages of the aging Hill Center and of often needing to practice at a neighboring university. At the same time we hoped to give Ithaca College an adequately sized indoor venue for important events such as Commencement, Convocation, and student-sponsored programs throughout the year.

Not least, we recognized that without a strong Ithaca Fund—our annual giving program—we could not continue to offer our students such advantages as visiting scholars and artists, classroom technology, collaborative research opportunities, and an excellent library.

These were our needs. The remaining question was: Could we even attempt a project of this magnitude?

We spent many hours pondering this and talking with longtime friends and benefactors before coming to the conclusion that Yes, we could and should. Our friends encouraged us, pledging to help us make these possibilities into realities and demonstrating confidence that our loyal alumni, parents, staff, faculty, neighbors, and supporters will rise to the occasion and help us reach our campaign goals.

Our overall financial goal for the campaign is $115 million, targeted to six priorities, about which you will read in the following pages. We hope that you will join us in the Campaign for Ithaca College: Making a World of Difference. It all comes down to belief and pride in Ithaca College, and the willingness to commit to its future.