Radcliffe Announces Gifts Since Agreement

When Radcliffe college changed her mind, so did Winfred Q. Collins.

Collins, who was one of the first female officers in the U.S. military and a self-made multimillionaire, altered her will following the April 20 announcement that Harvard and Radcliffe intended to merge.

A 1938 alumna of a Radcliffe graduate program, Collins had supported Radcliffe for decades. But upon hearing the news of the merger, Collins decided to leave the new Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study with a special bequest: $1.5 million.

Last week, Collins passed away.

And while saddened by Collins' death, Radcliffe officials frankly needed the gift--as well as several others offered since the announcement--to be able to trumpet community support for Radcliffe's transformation.

Radcliffe officially reported yesterday that the institution has received $6.5 million in gifts since the merger news.

"It's an affirmation of Radcliffe's future, as well as its current programs," said Radcliffe spokesperson Michael A. Armini. "I think the numbers speak for themselves."

On the day of the merger announcement, Radcliffe's Vice President for College Relations Bonnie R. Clendenning said the retraction of donations was "certainly hypothetically possible," nothing that when Wheaton College, a women's institution in Norton, went coeducational in 1988, alumnae pulled some $400,000 of recently donated funds.

Armini said Wednesday that he was not aware of any requests for refunds from donors who have given to Radcliffe College.

In addition to Collins' gift, Radcliffe has received three other gifts of over $1 million, as well as checks for $150,000 and a $667,000, Armini said.

And while some of the $6.5 million was money already "in the pipeline" before the announcement, some gifts--including Collins--were given only after hearing of Radcliffe's future plans.

"[The donations show] that there is widespread enthusiasm about the future of Radcliffe and the new alliance with Harvard," Armini said.

Armini said the new money will count towards Radcliffe's Capital Campaign, which he confirmed is on-going. Launched in 1993 to raise $100 million for Radcliffe College, some had recently questioned whether the new Institute would still bill fundraising efforts as part of the original campaign or begin fundraising anew.

Before the announcement, Radcliffe had only raised $72 million--and only $4 million since June 1998--but the newest donations mean campaign totals have now hit $78.5 million.

Yet, Radcliffe must still raise $21.5 million in the next year to complete the campaign in the year 2000 as planned.

Harvard President Neil L. Rudenstine has said in the past that the new Institute should have no trouble raising money from donors excited by the prospect of a multi-disciplinary institute with a focus on women, gender and society.

"I think they've run a good ship," he said not long after the announcement. "Many new donors will be interested in this kind of institution."

Armini said yesterday that money has, in fact, come in both from alumnae and from those unaffiliated with Radcliffe, from women and from men.

And Rudenstine has pledged that he will use Harvard's clout and fundraising resources to raise money for University's newest faculty.

"The University will begin aggressively raising funds for the Institute right away," he said at the April 20 press conference.

Harvard's new relationship with Radcliffe was evident in yesterday's announcement.

Quotes from Rudenstine appeared alongside those from Radcliffe President Linda S. Wilson and Radcliffe Board of Trustees Chairman Nancy Beth G. Sheerr '71 in an official news release.

"These early signs of support help to ensure that the Institute will be well-launched and well-supported from the outset," Rudenstine said in the release

"[The donations show] that there is widespread enthusiasm about the future of Radcliffe and the new alliance with Harvard," Armini said.

Armini said the new money will count towards Radcliffe's Capital Campaign, which he confirmed is on-going. Launched in 1993 to raise $100 million for Radcliffe College, some had recently questioned whether the new Institute would still bill fundraising efforts as part of the original campaign or begin fundraising anew.

Before the announcement, Radcliffe had only raised $72 million--and only $4 million since June 1998--but the newest donations mean campaign totals have now hit $78.5 million.

Yet, Radcliffe must still raise $21.5 million in the next year to complete the campaign in the year 2000 as planned.

Harvard President Neil L. Rudenstine has said in the past that the new Institute should have no trouble raising money from donors excited by the prospect of a multi-disciplinary institute with a focus on women, gender and society.

"I think they've run a good ship," he said not long after the announcement. "Many new donors will be interested in this kind of institution."

Armini said yesterday that money has, in fact, come in both from alumnae and from those unaffiliated with Radcliffe, from women and from men.

And Rudenstine has pledged that he will use Harvard's clout and fundraising resources to raise money for University's newest faculty.

"The University will begin aggressively raising funds for the Institute right away," he said at the April 20 press conference.

Harvard's new relationship with Radcliffe was evident in yesterday's announcement.

Quotes from Rudenstine appeared alongside those from Radcliffe President Linda S. Wilson and Radcliffe Board of Trustees Chairman Nancy Beth G. Sheerr '71 in an official news release.

"These early signs of support help to ensure that the Institute will be well-launched and well-supported from the outset," Rudenstine said in the release