Dear Douglass Alumnae and Friends,

 

Douglass alumnae and supporters should all be very excited that at long last a new residence hall will be built on the Douglass Campus, the first such living-learning facility to be erected and the first new building to be constructed since the 1970s. The new building is part of the Global Village on the Jameson Campus and will provide much-needed living and meeting space for the students who participate in the signature houses that comprise this experiential learning opportunity at Douglass.

 

The expansion of the Global Village was the vision of former Dean Carmen Twillie Ambar and was the cornerstone of the Campaign for Douglass conducted by the AADC on behalf of Douglass.  The AADC exceeded its goal of $35 million by tallying $41.8 million in donations from our generous and committed alumnae and friends.  As far back as 2010, the AADC announced a leadership gift from alumna Kathleen Whitehead Ludwig '75 that brought this vision to life (click here to read "Alumna Passionate about Human Rights, Launches Key Initiative for the Global Village").

 

To see this project come to fruition after a series of unnecessary delays is most rewarding.  Alumnae and friends have been invited by Dean Jacquelyn Litt to attend the groundbreaking ceremony on September 18 on the Jameson Campus.

 

In response to the invitation, many alumnae have contacted the AADC with questions concerning the AADC's role in the project.

 

I am writing to affirm that the AADC played the key role in soliciting funds for this project, and to salute the Campaign Co-Chairs for their outstanding work in garnering support for the project (click here to read "Historic Moment for Douglass").  The AADC cultivated donors to fund the building, as well as stewarding donor funds and meeting donor intent.  Many donors made their largest gift ever as a result of the solicitation of the AADC during the Campaign. The money raised from donors to the AADC met our commitment of $4.6 million to erect this building.  We know of no other building within the university that was planned or constructed with money raised by an alumni association.

 

To be clear, this new living-learning residence hall in the Global Village would not have been possible without the fundraising, stewardship, management and dedication of the AADC and its leadership as well as the generosity of alumnae and friends.

 

The omission from the invitation of the AADC's involvement in stewarding this effort is regrettable. While "investments by alumnae" for the Global Village Expansion were acknowledged, it was not mentioned that the AADC took the lead in raising the funds to make this expansion possible. This comes on the heels of the recent announcement by the College regarding the "new" Extern Program, which, in reality, was created 40 years ago by the AADC.  The AADC has been organizing and funding the Extern Program since its inception. 

 

In the interest of transparency, you should be aware of the facts of the Global Village Expansion project and the vital role and importance of the AADC.

 

We have all waited for years for this monumental moment and together we will not let anything stand in the way of a celebration rightfully deserved for our alma mater, her students and her alumnae.  Thank you to our alumnae and friends who helped make this building a reality.

The AADC will see you at the ground-breaking ceremony!