In 2015, President Karen R. Lawrence launched The Campaign for Sarah Lawrence, signaling to the world a vision for a long and healthy future for the College. At its core, this vision—and the Campaign—centered around one key goal: to sustain and advance the College’s distinctive role as a center of learning that values rigor, creativity, intellectual risk-taking, critical thinking, and boundless academic pursuit. It is this model of education that has made Sarah Lawrence a leader in graduating individuals who are exceptionally prepared to tackle the world and make major contributions to its betterment—a guiding principle that has never been more relevant or critical.
In pursuit of this vision, the Campaign set out to secure collaborators who would propel the College forward and ensure the ongoing resources necessary to not only continue to succeed, but to progress into a new era. The Campaign got off to an auspicious start when the first of those collaborators, alumna Barbara Walters, trumpeted her belief in the power of a Sarah Lawrence education by committing $15 million for the construction of a long overdue campus center that would transform campus life.
In addition to making substantial capital improvements to the campus, the Campaign also focused on increasing the College’s endowment to provide enhanced scholarships and financial aid; to fund programs that foster social engagement, collaboration, and community; to endow faculty chairs in core and emerging fields of study; and to fund faculty scholarship and development.
We are so grateful to all who supported this historic effort, making it an unequivocal success. Thank you for sharing our vision, believing in our mission, and setting us on course for an even brighter future.