CAPITAL CAMPAIGN AIMS SOUTHEAST AT EXCELLENCE

Southeast Missouri State University has long enjoyed enthusiastic support from alumni and friends. Nowhere is that more evident than in the university's successful fund-raising campaign, the first major capital campaign in Southeast's history. The "New Vision of Excellence" cam~paign has already exceeded its goal of $25 million, and the drive still has three and a half months to go before its scheduled ending on June 30.

As of the end of February, the campaign had raised more than $25.13 million. The public phase of the fund-raising campaign was launched Sept. 29, 1990. Prior to that date, the university had obtained about $12 million in gifts and pledges through a private phase of the campaign, dating back to July 1987.

What that means is that in a year and a half, the public phase of the campaign has raised $13 million in gifts, donations and pledges, no small accomplishment at a time when the economy has been lackluster. More than half of the campaign commitments came from corporations, both large and small.

Cape Girardeau banker Jim Limbaugh, who led the campaign drive, said at a press conference last week that when the message is clear and the need is real, raising money is easy. Limbaugh has a point.

This campaign, engineered by the Southeast Missouri University Foundation, was focused from the beginning on making improvements in specific areas.

And it came at a time when Southeast, like other public colleges and universities in the state, have had to cope with ever more limited state funding.

The campaign surpassed its goals in five areas: scholarships, program enhancements, campus development, Bootheel Education Center and university fund.

While the campaign has already been a tremendous success, those involved in the capital drive are still hard at work trying to raise more money. The total goal has been met, but some areas of the campaign are still short of their goals.

The university is near its goal of raising $2.4 million to help fund construction of a new business school, and well on its way to securing $1.6 million for athletic complex and Houck Stadium improvements. But the campaign has reached only 21 percent of its $500,000 goal for the university's National Public Radio station.

Judging from the campaign's success so far, there is reason to believe that the university will meet most, if not all, of its individual funding goals.

Southeast's capital campaign has put the university on the track for excellence.