Clearly Furman Case Statement

CLEARLY W E SEE CLE A R LY

the promise of setting Furman apart in higher education and preparing our students as never before to be agents of inspiration, leadership and change in the world.

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REAL THE PROMISE IS

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ransformative academic experiences, influential faculty mentoring, intensive opportunities for reflection and growth, active preparation for exceptional careers – these offerings are clearly Furman, as they have been and must always be.

As we approach our third century and contemplate the challenges our students will face in the decades ahead, it is imperative that we lift all that we do to another level of influence and effectiveness. The abilities we nurture, the skills we develop, and the confidence we instill are vital to the success of our students in everything they pursue as graduates – and to a Furman liberal arts and sciences education that makes a difference in society.

The prospect of rising to our potential rests with the most comprehensive campaign in our history. Through a community effort as ambitious as Furman itself, CLE A R LY FUR M A N will help every student capitalize on all we offer.

Together, we will strengthen the learning experience, expand our impact and make the full promise of our university real.

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PURPOSE WITH CLARITY OF

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ith a clear understanding of what separates the excellence of Furman, we have focused over the last several years on an innovative, carefully developed four-year experience we call The Furman Advantage.

Combining academic requirements with guided reflection, internships and externships with attentive career preparation, this program has been structured to bring the power of a Furman education to a new level of impact.

And it is working.

We know this because we are doing what almost no other university is willing to do: regularly commissioning thirdparty research to ask our students what they are getting out of their Furman education and how we can make it ever more valuable – and then, through the guidance of a team of faculty and staff, continuing to make it better.

Our students are telling us unequivocally: The Furman Advantage is boosting their academic success, their self-reliance and their clarity about their professional ambitions and the lives they want to lead.

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But as successful as The Furman Advantage is proving to be, it is never the Furman way to settle. Across nearly 200 years of trial and testing, Furman has thrived and grown, through world wars, economic calamities and profound social and cultural upheaval. From our founding in 1826 through our relocation from downtown Greenville in 1958, from the desegregation of Furman in 1965 through the decision to leave the South Carolina Baptist Convention in 1992, Furman has never shied from taking bold steps forward. Building on this spirit of ambition and determination, today’s Furman will rise to a new challenge.

Thanks to the support of donors, friends and advocates, Furman will carry forward its legacy of leadership, reward students with the finest possible undergraduate education and establish itself as a national model for liberal arts and sciences impact. With clarity of purpose about these goals, we have prioritized CLE A R LY F U R M A N investments in six areas, as outlined in the following pages.

Individually, these priorities advance different aspects of Furman’s value as an educator striving in all ways to live up to our mission – of challenging and supporting “lifelong learners through rigorous inquiry, transformative experiences, and deep reflection to lead lives of meaning and consequence.”

Collectively, these campaign objectives will have an even greater result, raising every aspect of the university’s lifelong value to students and our national standing as a liberal arts and sciences leader.

Through this campaign, we can and we will transform the quality and reach of Furman and the lives of our students forever. Please join us.

ELIZABETH DAVIS PRESIDENT

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OUR CAMPAIGN

GOALS

W E W ILL E X PA ND the hands-on learning and career preparation available for students through our four exceptional and distinctive institutes and all they offer for academic opportunity, faculty research and state and national impact.

W E W ILL LIF T our annual fund into a powerful recurring resource for bold and opportunistic investments in new areas of excellence as they arise across our people, programs and physical spaces.

FUNDRAISING GOAL: $426 MILLION

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T H E A N N UA L F U N D

W E W ILL ENH A NCE athletic competitiveness and leadership through investments in Paladin student-athletes, teams, facilities, coaches and training programs.

T H E IN ST I T U T E S

W E W ILL B O O ST student wellness and well-being, including ensuring that Furman is maximally inclusive for students of every life experience.

AT H L ET I C S , C OAC H IN G A N D C OM PET I T I V E N E S S

W E W ILL SU PP ORT every student’s growth and personal vision through our intentional Pathways two-year advising program, meaningful community engagement and internship opportunities and intensive career preparation.

W E L L N E S S , B E L ON G IN G A N D C OM M U N I T Y

W E W ILL STR ENGTHEN academic opportunity and excellence through scholarships for students, designated funding for great teaching and innovative academic programs.

T H E F U R M A N A DVA N TAG E

SC CH HO OL LA AR RS SH H II P PS S ,, T TE E AC AC H H IN IN G GA AN ND D AC AC A A DE DE M M IC IC PRO PRO G GR RA AM MS S S

Building on the best of Furman, we will elevate the university’s excellence, access and impact through these six goals:

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T H E A N N UA L F U N D

T H E IN ST I T U T E S

AT H L ET I C S , C OAC H IN G A N D C OM PET I T I V E N E S S

W E L L N E S S , B E L ON G IN G A N D C OM M U N I T Y

T H E F U R M A N A DVA N TAG E

B E T H P O N TA R I INTERIM VICE PRESIDENT FOR A C A D E M I C A F FA I R S A N D P R O V O S T; P R O F E S S O R O F P S YC H O L O G Y

SC CH HO OL LA AR RS SH H II P PS S ,, T TE E AC AC H H IN IN G GA AN ND D AC AC A A DE DE M M IC IC PRO PRO G GR RA AM MS S S

When you have The Furman Advantage as your vision, it’s really easy to know what our job is. It’s to ensure that students have access to these experiences and that they’re high quality.

INSPIRE MINDS WHERE THEY MEET SCHOL A R SHIPS , TEACHING AND ACA DEMIC PROGR AMS

T H E A N N UA L F U N D T H E IN ST I T U T E S AT H L ET I C S , C OAC H IN G A N D C OM PET I T I V E N E S S

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W E L L N E S S , B E L ON G IN G A N D C OM M U N I T Y

$130 MILLION

T H E F U R M A N A DVA N TAG E S C H O L A R S H I P S , T E AC H IN G A N D AC A DE M IC PRO G R A M S

GOAL:

The Furman Advantage gave me the foundation to bring capital into communities that need it most. It changed my life.

A LY S S A R I C H A R D S O N ’ 12

12 C A MPA IGN PR IOR ITIE S

$25 MILLION

T H E A N N UA L F U N D

$15 MILLION

PREMIER ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

T H E IN ST I T U T E S

TEACHING EXCELLENCE

AT H L ET I C S , C OAC H IN G A N D C OM PET I T I V E N E S S

$90 MILLION

W E L L N E S S , B E L ON G IN G A N D C OM M U N I T Y

STUDENT SCHOL ARSHIPS

T H E F U R M A N A DVA N TAG E

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urman has long stood out for its ability to blend the liberal arts and sciences’ classic emphases on critical thinking, problem-solving and communications skills with hands-on practical learning. Transforming the support possible for scholarships, teaching and innovative and interdisciplinary academic programs, CLE A R LY F U R M A N will lift the human and programmatic excellence that define the university’s service and reputation.

S C H O L A R S H I P S , T E AC H IN G A N D AC A DE M IC PRO G R A M S

S CHOL A R SHIPS , TE ACHING A ND ACA DEMIC PRO GR A MS

POWER OUR DEFINING DIFFERENCE

THE FURMAN A DVANTAGE

T H E A N N UA L F U N D T H E IN ST I T U T E S

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AT H L ET I C S , C OAC H IN G A N D C OM PET I T I V E N E S S

$126 MILLION

W E L L N E S S , B E L ON G IN G A N D C OM M U N I T Y T H E F U R M A N A DVA N TAG E

GOAL:

T H E F U R M A N A D VA N TA G E

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eveloped with deliberation and intent by our faculty and staff, The Furman Advantage is an exception in liberal arts and sciences education. Concentrating the finest elements of the Furman experience that alumni know well, The Furman Advantage challenges and inspires each student with intensive academic expectations, caring and personal advising, guided reflection with faculty and comprehensive practical learning experiences.

CLE A R LY FUR M A N will strengthen all aspects of The Furman Advantage so that every student can take advantage of all it offers. In making this possible, donors will deepen the value of the Furman experience for the graduates who will help shape the rest of the 21st century.

THE PATHWAYS PROGRAM

$40 MILLION

ENGAGED LEARNING EXPERIENCES

$35 MILLION

MENTORING AND ADVISING

$20 MILLION

CAMPUS VITALIT Y AND

$16 MILLION

STUDENT EXPERIENCES CAREER PREPARATION

$15 MILLION

We can involve every student in The Furman Advantage

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T H E A N N UA L F U N D

T H E IN ST I T U T E S

AT H L ET I C S , C OAC H IN G A N D C OM PET I T I V E N E S S

OSC AR GUILLEN ’22

W E L L N E S S , B E L ON G IN G A N D C OM M U N I T Y

The Furman Advantage ensures that Furman has everything you need to be successful. The resources, the connections, the network. It’s how I secured my highly competitive finance internship.

MAKE PERSONAL PROMISE MATTER

W ELLNESS , BELONGING AND COMMUNIT Y

T H E A N N UA L F U N D

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T H E IN ST I T U T E S

$30 MILLION

AT H L ET I C S , C OAC H IN G A N D C OM PET I T I V E N E S S W E L L N E S S , B E L ON G IN G A N D C OM M U N I T Y

GOAL:

3.4X

MORE LIKELY FOR ALUMNI TO BE ENGAGED AT WORK

20 C A MPA IGN PR IOR ITIE S

3X

MORE LIKELY FOR ALUMNI TO BE THRIVING IN LIFE

$15 MILLION

INCLUSIVE CAMPUS INITIATIVES

$15 MILLION

Furman graduates are thriving in all well-being elements FURM AN ALUMNI

N AT I O N A L AV E R AG E

Purpose

Community

Social

Physical

Financial

Furman-Gallup Study

T H E A N N UA L F U N D

WELLNESS AND BELONGING

T H E IN ST I T U T E S

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oday’s students and families increasingly expect that excellent colleges and universities will not only support intellectual growth but also develop the whole person – and prepare graduates for leadership in a diverse society. These holistic qualities of learning and community have long been intrinsic to Furman’s mission.

As part of this campaign, we will take our approach to education further, investing in physical and emotional wellness, spaces that support student fitness and teamwork, and initiatives that foster diversity, inclusion and understanding.

AT H L ET I C S , C OAC H IN G A N D C OM PET I T I V E N E S S

WELLNESS , BELONGING AND COMMUNITY

INSPIRE GREATNESS

ATHLETICS , COACHING AND COMPETITIV ENESS

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T H E A N N UA L F U N D

$50 MILLION

T H E IN ST I T U T E S AT H L ET I C S , C OAC H IN G A N D C OM PET I T I V E N E S S

GOAL:

AT H L E T I C S , C O A C H I N G A ND C OMPETITI V ENE S S

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e have great ambitions for investing in our studentathletes because they are champions of today and tomorrow. Here, academic and athletic excellence are one.

Through CLE A R LY FUR M A N , we will bolster Paladin training and practice facilities, create endowments that forever advance our recruitment and retention of outstanding coaches, and renovate and expand the spaces in which our alumni and fans can come together loud and proud to root for our student-athletes.

Being a student-athlete at Furman has been lifechanging. I have been provided opportunities to grow both as an athlete, a student and an individual. The lessons I have learned in my time here will be significant for the rest of my life.

INSPIRE MINDS WHERE THEY MEET: BASKETBALL FACILITIES

$40 MILLION

ENHANCEMENT

ENDOWED STUDENT

ATHLETE SCHOLARSHIPS

$10 MILLION

ALEX HUNTER ’22 MEN’S BASKETBALL

SCHOL A R SHIPS , TEACHING AND ACA DEMIC PROGR AMS 24 C A MPA IGN PR IOR ITIE S

T H E A N N UA L F U N D T H E IN ST I T U T E S

INSPIRE MINDS DRIVE IMPACT WHERE THEY MEET: WITH INNOVATION SCHOL A R SHIPS , TEACHING THE INSTITUTES AND ACA DEMIC PROGR AMS

$40 MILLION

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T H E A N N UA L F U N D T H E IN ST I T U T E S

GOAL:

THE INSTITUTES

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lumni across the decades know the rigors of study and research at Furman.

Working alongside faculty in our classrooms, labs and studios, our students come to appreciate that thinking through hard problems is as important as understanding the facts. And we have a special advantage: four institutes, which no other undergraduate liberal arts and sciences institution of our size can claim. Our institutes engage students every day, as part of their academic work, in professional and community decisionmaking. Through this campaign, we will capitalize on our unique strength to make our learning experience, and the Furman degree, even more powerful.

THE SHI INSTITUTE

$10 MILLION

THE HILL INSTITUTE

$10 MILLION

INSTITUTE FOR THE ADVANCEMENT

$10 MILLION

OF COMMUNITY HEALTH THE RILEY INSTITUTE

$10 MILLION

INSPIRE MINDS WHERE THEY MEET: SCHOL A R SHIPS , TEACHING AND ACA DEMIC PROGR AMS 28 C A MPA IGN PR IOR ITIE S

A L E X A N D R A VA L D OV I N O S ’ 2 5

T H E A N N UA L F U N D

The Hill Institute provided grant dollars, coaching and mentors, working space and other resources needed to blend my love of music and business and launch my own product.

MAGNIFY THE INSPIRE MINDS MEANING OF WHERE THEY MEET: GENEROSITY SCHOL A R SHIPS , TEACHING THEACA ANNUAL AND DEMICFUND PROGR AMS

T H E A N N UA L F U N D

GOAL:

$50 MILLION

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THE A NNUA L F UND

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he Annual Fund is unlike any other giving opportunity, for it unifies and magnifies the gifts of individuals across the community who want to join with others to boost the work of the university, meet urgent campus needs and demonstrate the depth to which supporters stand with students as they learn and grow. Our ambition is to build this fund into a more potent resource than at any time in our history. Every donor who contributes to the Annual Fund will bring Furman a step closer to this pivotal goal and make a meaningful and daily campus difference.

THE ANNUAL FUND

32 C A MPA IGN PR IOR ITIE S

$50 MILLION

THE POTENTIAL IS

EXTRAORDINARY G

uided by our strengths as a university, focused on learning experiences that empower students to achieve their most inspiring ambitions, we will do more than meet our mission and advance Furman’s reputation for excellence. As we become a national model for a liberal arts and sciences education, we will, through our graduates, influence action and ideas across the 21st century.

This is the possibility within reach, and with your support we will make it happen.

The time for fresh and bold ambition is now.

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3 3 0 0 P O I N S E T T H I G H WAY G R E E N V I L L E , S C 2 9 613 F U R M A N . E DU/C L E A R LY F U R M A N