Radcliffe Celebrates Capital Campaign

It was a weekend of firsts for the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study.

On Saturday morning the board of management of the Radcliffe College Alumnae Association (RCAA) voted to change its name in light of Radcliffe's merger with Harvard last year.

Later Saturday afternoon, Radcliffe launched its first live webcast, as part of the Alumnae Council's program "Women and the Web: Navigating the Cyber Revolution."

And Saturday night Radcliffe supporters gathered at the Sheraton Commander Hotel to celebrate the completion of the Radcliffe Capital Campaign--"the most ambitious fundraising effort in Radcliffe's history," according to acting dean Mary Maples Dunn.

The mood was festive as 80 of Radcliffe's key donors, friends and staff--including Drew Gilpin Faust, incoming dean of the Institute, Linda S. Wilson, former president of Radcliffe College and University provost Harvey V. Fineberg '67--dined under streaming gold ribbon and pearlescent white balloons.

The campaign, which Wilson started in 1993 while Radcliffe College was still independent of Harvard, raised $100,981,189--just over the $100 million goal. Bursts of confetti covered the ballroom as Dunn announced the final figure.

"The consultants told us we couldn't raise 100 million," she said. "But we did it!"

Dunn said that the campaign had been enriched by five donations of $2 million or more and 13 gifts between $1 and $2 million.

As part of the campaign, Radcliffe received a gift endowing a "Faculty associateship" that will bring a member of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) to work and study at Radcliffe, Dunn said.

Much of the campaign's final fundraising efforts focused on endowing professorships and fellows for the fledgling Institute. Those donations were matched by Harvard as part of the Oct. 1999 merger.

In a comic interlude Saturday night, Dunn was interrupted by the strains of a colonial fife and drum group, headed by a costumed George Washington, that marched up on to the stage. Taken aback, Dunn asked, "Are you sure you should be at the Radcliffe party? You have the wrong campaign, George."

Washington then presented Dunn with a scroll commemorating the capital campaign.

Faust, who is scheduled to take the helm of Radcliffe on Jan. 1, called the campaign a "wonderful launching pad" for new initiatives.

Faust addressed the changing identity of Radcliffe, from an independent women's college to a research division of Harvard. She emphasized the influence Radcliffe would continue to have on Harvard.

"An opportunity for change for Radcliffe means significant and highly desirable change for Harvard," Faust said. "We are going to leave a powerful intellectual mark and make connections to Harvard Faculty in new and deepened ways."

Faust said she envisions Radcliffe having greater influence on Faculty appointments, and noted that she will serve on the Academic Council.

"Radcliffe will make women, gender and society a central issue at Harvard," Faust said.

RCAA President A'Lelia P. Bundles '74 happily announced to the gathering that the alumnae group's board of management had voted unanimously to change its name to the Radcliffe Association (RA).

The association will include not just Radcliffe College graduates but also fellows of the Institute and scholars who will study at Radcliffe.

"Radcliffe is a great brand," Bundles said. "Our new name reflects our tradition but also lets us welcome in other people--men, for example. RA will be for people who support our goals."

Bundles noted that RCAA celebrates its 75th anniversary this year and said the newly renamed group will continue to plan events for recent graduates and reunions for Radcliffe College alumnae.

Former RCAA President Jane E. Tewksbury '74 said that she was saddened at the change.

"It's sad, a sad moment," she said. "But it reflects the new relationship--it's an important step."

Judith Stanton, executive director of RCAA, said the name change "feels right."

Bundles said RCAA has been trying to tell alumnae about the reasons for the change through mailings and alumnae meetings.

"The challenge now is to communicate to those people who didn't read all we've been sending them, about why we did this name change," Bundles said.

--Staff writer Joyce K. McIntyre can be reached at jmcintyr@fas.harvard.edu.