The year 2001 saw the Campaign for Binghamton University nearing its $36 million goal. The campaign had raised $34.8 million as of Nov. 30, putting it about a year ahead of schedule. The campaign has helped establish 80 new scholarships since 1996 and has aided the recruitment and retention of 30 faculty members, including history professor and Pulitzer Prize winner Herbert Bix.

"Thanks to our donors and friends who so strongly believe in the University and our mission, we have more to offer students, faculty and our community than ever before," said University President Lois B. DeFleur. "We have strengthened our position as one of the best public universities in the country. We continue to face strong competition for faculty and students from our peer institutions, but the support we have received from the campaign is already making a difference."

However, DeFleur cautioned that new needs have arisen since planning for the campaign began more than five years ago: for support to refurbish older facilities and to furnish new ones, and more scholarships to keep Binghamton competitive with its peers in attracting gifted students.

Foundation Annual Dinner

Each fall, the Binghamton University Foundation board of directors holds its annual dinner. This year's event drew more than 150 people to the Mandela Room of the University Union. Attendees included Lee Perlman '80. Perlman and his wife, Linda Riefberg '81, have endowed a scholarship for a full-time student who has experienced an extraordinary personal hardship (such as the recent loss of a parent) or who is from a single-parent family, and for whom a scholarship could make the difference in being able to stay in college. In addition to endowing a scholarship, Perlman serves as vice president for development on the BU Alumni Association board of directors.

Also in attendance was Gary Kunis '73, who, with his wife, Natasha Kunis, endowed a scholarship for students majoring in computer science at Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science. Kunis met one of his scholarship recipients, Oliver Kikic '03, who escaped a bloody civil war in his native Bosnia and who is now majoring in computer science at Binghamton.

Students establish fund to aid disaster-stricken

Adding to the campus support for those affected by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Student Association, with help from the Binghamton University Foundation, has established a Crisis Support Fund that has raised about $3,000 to date. Student Association President Paul Harrison said the fund was established within two days of the attacks, after many students approached him offering to help in any way they could. "It's a campus tradition to be unified and work together," said Harrison, noting that a number of student groups and international students helped to establish the fund.

The fund can provide assistance to faculty, staff and students with financial need stemming from any disaster, not just the Sept. 11 attacks. It can help pay for emergency travel, tuition, books or other expenses if the disaster has resulted in a loss of financial support.

Thank you for believing in Binghamton!

-- Susann Thiel

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