Dear South Hill Friends,

La Jerne Terry Cornish, President of Ithaca College in the Finger Lakes region of New York

La Jerne Terry Cornish, President, Ithaca College

We are deeply grateful for your support. Because of your generosity, Ithaca College continues to transform lives and strengthen the collective force of the IC community. The difference you make comes to life in the stories throughout this year’s impact report, demonstrating the lasting mark your generosity leaves across our institution.

The spirit of caring and IC pride was especially visible during this year’s Giving Day, when alumni, families, and friends showed up for every corner of campus, including athletics, scholarships, and vital student services such as the Center for Counseling and Psychological Services. What begins as your support can grow into incredible opportunities in our students’ lives. You make it possible for students to immerse themselves fully, connect different interests, take creative risks, and pursue paths that shape not only what they do but also who they become.

Your impact is clear for students like Caleb Wilson ’29, Yasmin Ramos Kuczynski ’26, and Payton Adams ’27. For Caleb, targeted scholarship support opened the door to a healthcare internship, guiding his path toward healthcare law and a commitment to addressing inequities. Yasmin, a documentary studies and production major, secured a role with Dotdash Meredith as a video strategy intern, expanding her creative work while easing financial barriers with the NYC Communications Internship (Big Apple Award). And Payton, through the Dan Heffner ’78 Producing Award, is bringing her film project, Circuit, to life and strengthening her path forward in a highly competitive industry.

Throughout campus, stories like these unfold because of your dedicated commitment to the IC student experience. Individual acts of giving come together to create something extraordinary: opportunity, growth, and the ability for our students to discover, lead, serve, and shape the world around them. Thank you for all that you make possible at Ithaca College.

With gratitude,
La Jerne Terry Cornish, President

You Redefine What’s Possible at IC

Donors like you ensure students go farther, reach higher, and achieve more than they imagined.

The Sound of IC Pride

Members of the new IC pep band perform at an athletics event.

Members of the new IC pep band perform at an athletics event.

The college’s new pep band launches its first season in the fall, bringing fresh energy and opportunities to student-musicians while amplifying school spirit. The pep band is made possible through a generous gift from Monica Bertino Wooden ’81, whose support revives an IC tradition at the intersection of music, athletics, and community.

“I’m not a musician myself, but I’ve always appreciated what music brings to a community. With the prestige of Ithaca College’s School of Music, Theatre, and Dance and so many students across campus arriving with instrumental experience, this felt like the right moment to invest in something that brings that energy to life.”

Monica Bertino Wooden ’81

Opportunity Comes to Life—Because of You

Whether students are competing, creating, interning, or finding community and care, your support expands what students can achieve—and who they can become. The following stories offer just a glimpse of what you make possible:

Caleb Wilson ’29

Photo of Caleb Wilson, Class of 2029 Grad

Major: Public and Community Health
Student Experience: Healthcare Intern, Trillium Health

“The donor-funded scholarship I received is really enabling me to do some life-changing work at Trillium Health this summer. I’m very grateful for the opportunity. All my life, I have looked up to politicians and social figures who use their voices to be the much-needed agents of change.”

Yasmin Ramos Kuczynski ’26

Headshot of Yasmin Ramos Kuczynski, Class of ’26 at Ithaca College

Major: Documentary Studies and Production
Student Experience: Video Strategy Intern, Dotdash Meredith (People Inc.)

“The NYC Communications Internship [Big Apple Award] played a huge role in me being able to focus solely on my internship at People. It is not only a huge step in my academic and professional journey but also a dream come true. Working in a media environment where creativity and impact are valued feels like the perfect fit for who I am and what I hope to do.”

The Power of the Many

When our community comes together, the impact is powerful.
2,517
Donors

gave to the Ithaca College Annual Fund

$1.38M
Raised

$1,377,337 for the Ithaca College Annual Fund

7,088
Donors To All Funds and Gifts

supported every corner of campus

$12.6M
Total Raised for All Funds

$12,607,762 across all funds and gifts

Giving Day by the Numbers

On Giving Day 2026, donors showed up for the IC community, giving to everything from student clubs to essential services. The Ithaca College Annual Fund was at the center of the effort, fulfilling students’ most immediate needs and fueling some of their greatest opportunities. Every gift, no matter the size of the donation, strengthens the student experience in meaningful and lasting ways.

$1.06M
Raised on Giving Day

$1,059,900 total, including $483,713 for IC Athletics

3,662
Total Gifts

made on Giving Day 2026

Investing in the IC Experience

Your giving fuels sustainability, storytelling, and student-athlete success across campus.

Building a Greener Future

An alumni donor couple sparked a ripple effect, advancing sustainability across campus—from curriculum innovation to operational change. Their philanthropy, including the new EV chargers on campus, creates meaningful progress toward climate goals and empowers students, faculty, and campus leaders to act, experiment, and lead sustainably.

Producing Opportunity for Student Media Makers

Emmy-winning producer Dan Heffner ’78 launched his career through hands-on learning at IC. For more than two decades, he has returned to campus to pay it forward through residencies in the Roy H. Park School of Communications. This year, he established the Dan Heffner ’78 Producing Award to uplift student producers. Television, photography, and digital media major Payton Adams ’27 was the award’s first recipient.

Playing it Forward

A $100,000 gift to the men’s soccer endowment honoring James Bredin ’91 supports travel, equipment, and training and will strengthen the student-athlete experience for years to come. This investment, funded by the generosity of Glenn and Kori Schneider ’91 and SUSA FC, ensures future Bombers benefit from the same sense of community that defined James Bredin’s time at IC.

IC Endowment and Scholarships

$478M
Total Endowment

$478,304,214 (estimated/unaudited)

729
Scholarships Awarded

to students this fiscal year

$1.14M
New Gifts to Endowment

$1,137,986 this fiscal year (estimated/unaudited)

Thank you!

Every gift, no matter the size, strengthens the student experience in meaningful and lasting ways.

Make a Gift