Campaign Update
A Historic Groundbreaking

photo by Sally McCay

The largest building project in the history of the University of Vermont officially got under way Saturday, April 30, with a ceremonial groundbreaking for the Dudley H. Davis Center, a new student center expected to transform the campus experience at UVM for years to come.

Named in honor of the late Burlington banker and UVM alumnus Dudley H. Davis, Class of 1943, the new facility will rise along the north side of Main Street, with an architectural style and scale reminiscent of the stately stone structures overlooking the historic UVM Green on University Place. The building is expected to open in September 2007.

University President Daniel Mark Fogel said the building is the product of more than a decade of study and planning, including what he said was one of the most far-reaching student life assessments ever undertaken by a college or university to assess the need for a new facility.

On hand to celebrate the occasion were a sizable contingent of Davis family members, including Davis siblings Chuck '72, Jeff '74, Cheryl '69, and Kathleen, and their families; Governor Jim Douglas; Burlington Mayor Peter Clavelle; South Burlington City Council Chair Jim Condos '74; Martha Heath '69 of the UVM Board of Trustees; outgoing student government association president Bryant Jones '05; and former UVM president Edwin Colodny, as well as students, faculty, and community members.

The centerpiece of the University's 10-year vision, the facility will serve as a “front door” to the campus and to Burlington and will be a hub of campus activity.

Fogel said the University takes pride in the fact that the Davis Center will meet strict standards of environmental design, as befits UVM's reputation as one of the nation's premier environmental universities. The University hopes to earn the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, Fogel said.

The first construction phase, scheduled for completion in September 2007, will house a bistro, lounges, computer labs, recreation and dining areas, retail food outlets, the bookstore, offices for student organizations, meeting rooms and a banquet/multi-purpose room.

UVM in NYC
A Campaign Celebration
Fresh on the heels of a successful year's fundraising in the Boston area, The Campaign for the University of Vermont sets its sights on the Big Apple during 2005-2006, beginning with a festive gathering of UVM alumni, parents, and friends for a New York Campaign Celebration at the elegant American Museum of Natural History on Wednesday evening, September 21.

Hosted by President Daniel Mark Fogel and Rachel Kahn-Fogel, together with the National Campaign Steering Committee and the New York Regional Campaign Committee, the event promises an unforgettable evening of celebration in one of New York's most enchanting settings.

With entertainment provided by the UVM Jazz Band and a program highlighting the inspiring stories of UVM people making a difference, the event provides an opportunity for the members of the UVM family in the New York region to celebrate a new era of pride and possibility for the University of Vermont and show their support for the Campaign as it continues building toward its $250 million goal.

The goal for the New York Campaign is $20 million to be raised by June 30, 2006, which will bring the total from UVM's New York supporters to approximately $56 million since the Campaign launch. “The success of the Campaign to date owes a great deal to the generosity of our supporters in the New York area during the past four years,” says Ian deGroot '79, vice president for development and alumni relations. “This next year will be an intensive effort to build on that momentum. New York can put us within reach of our overall goal.”

Special thanks go the New York Regional Campaign Committee for their work in organizing UVM's big night in the Big Apple.

For further information, contact Natalie Fleischman in Development and Alumni Relations, 802-656-3126; email natalie. fleischman@uvm.edu.Green & Gold Scholars, CCHS Grads Among Commencement “Firsts”
Gray skies and a cold rain didn't dampen the spirits of some 2,400 graduates as the University of Vermont community gathered on the UVM Green for the 201st Commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 22.

This year marked several “firsts” for UVM, including the first graduates of the Green & Gold Scholarship program and the Christopher Columbus High School Partnership. Both are shining examples of why scholarship support is the top priority of The Campaign for the University of Vermont.

The Green and Gold Scholarships were made possible by a generous bequest from the estate of Burlington resident Genevieve Patrick in the year 2000. The four-year, full-tuition scholarships are awarded annually to the top student in each of Vermont's high schools. True to the program's intent to reward academic excellence, the inaugural class of 19 Green and Gold Scholars graduated with a mean GPA of 3.67.

“There's no question that the Green and Gold scholarships have made an enormous difference in our ability to attract the strongest students from Vermont high schools,” says Don Honeman, director of admissions and financial aid. “The financial incentive, coupled with the fact that we now can offer the Honors College experience to many of these students, has served UVM well in the competition for the best students.”

Four members of the Class of 2005 were among the first students to enroll at UVM in the fall of 2001 as the result of an innovative partnership with Christopher Columbus High School in the Bronx, New York. The award-winning program reaches out to students and families in the urban high school with information and programming designed to de-mystify the college admissions process and encourage minority high school students to pursue higher education.

Of the original thirteen CCHS students who enrolled at UVM in fall of 2001, four graduated in May, and five are still enrolled and on track to graduate. All together, 60 former CCHS students are now enrolled at UVM. “Without scholarship support, success stories like these just wouldn't have been possible,” Honeman says.