Letter from the President
Dear McDaniel Community,
I am thrilled to announce that we have now officially completed the quiet phase of McDaniel College’s Reaching New Heights comprehensive campaign, having surpassed the 80% fundraising mark, raising over $40.6 million toward our total $50 million goal! Thanks to the remarkable generosity of so many, the visible impacts — both on campus and off — are already inspiring.
Your gifts have enabled us to design and build the innovative Learning Commons @ Hoover Library, which centralizes our student-facing academic services into one convenient location. Additionally, construction has begun on state-of-the-art facilities for McDaniel’s new Nursing program, located at Carroll Hospital, as well as faculty offices in Lewis Recitation Hall for our growing Business and Economics program.
The recently completed Richard A. Clower ’50 Track at Gill Stadium and the in-progress renovations to Harvey Stone Park & Pavilion will greatly enhance our outdoor spaces for Environmental Studies majors, track athletes, and the community as a whole.
But the impact of this campaign extends far beyond the enhancement of physical spaces. As you’ll see, campaign giving has already resulted in the establishment of crucial scholarships that enable more students to experience the life-changing impact of a McDaniel education. My husband, David, and I have joined other major gift donors in supporting experiential learning opportunities for students, resulting in increased access to student-faculty summer research projects, study abroad, internships, and volunteerism.
As we launch into the public phase of our campaign, I am also excited to announce the receipt of the largest gift in the college’s history, made through the estate of Jonas Eshelman ’50. This endowment will enable us to significantly invest in academic excellence — both now and into the future.
Still, there is more transformational work ahead.
Together, we will design more cutting-edge academic spaces to deepen the learning experience for students and make an unforgettable first impression that reflects the innovation and excellence of a McDaniel education.
PRESIDENT JULIA JASKEN
We will establish endowed professorships in emerging growth areas. We will increase funding for facilities and coaching support within our Athletics program. And, just as importantly, we will seek increased unrestricted giving, which allows the college to respond nimbly and effectively to emerging needs and opportunities.
In addition to our philanthropic goals, we will forge 2,500 new community connections and create 500 new career connections by May 31, 2028. These goals are bold, and they should be. This is a defining moment for McDaniel. Our students are full of potential, and our aspirations for them — and for the college — should match that promise.
Thank you for being part of our journey, for believing in our mission, and for your dedication to this very special college on the hill.
President Julia Jasken