VISION BECOMES REALITY WITH CAPITAL CAMPAIGN

It's one thing to have a vision. The road to success is simply littered with good ideas that went nowhere. It's a whole other matter to carry a vision to fruition. Southeast Missouri State University recently completed its five-year "New Vision of Excellence" fundraising campaign. The results were astounding. This first major campaign raised an impressive $28.5 million exceeding its goal by 14 percent.

This overwhelming success flies in the face of many national trends. Across the country, the mood of the people has been waning in terms of educational funding. As budgets shrink, many states have reduced higher education dollars. In Missouri, voters last November thumped Proposition B, a plan to pump more dollars into elementary, secondary and higher education. But Southeast Missouri State University encountered few of these negative feelings in its capital campaign.

This accomplishment is not only a tribute to the university, but to 13,500 generous businesses and individuals throughout the region. The campaign's success depicts a real long-term commitment for the university's work in Southeast Missouri.

The private campaign began in 1987, with the public phase kicking off in September of 1990. Pledges and gifts have come from individuals as well as more than 850 corporations and foundations. Some of the donations were cash; others were in-kind gifts or pledges.

Six of the 12 funding areas exceeded their goals. The category enjoying the greatest support was scholarships. More than $7.45 million was raised for, which is 186 percent of goal. Supporters want to make sure that good students who want to go to college can do so. This becomes increasingly important as student grant and loan programs have be curtailed nationally. Another $4.42 million was generated for program improvements, well above the $3 million goal. More than $2.46 million was donated for eventual construction of a new College of Business building. Faculty and staff contributed $565,000 to the capital campaign, well above the $125,000 goal set. The list of contributions goes on and on.

Deserving special recognition is Cape Girardeau banker Jim Limbaugh, who led the drive, University Foundation Executive Director Robert Foster, and Director of University's Development Don Ford. President Kala Stroup and husband, Joe, exhibited their commitment to the university with an impressive $25,000 endowment for "creative academic initiatives."

The campaign really does go beyond mere dollars and cents although the money itself is very important. It underscores spirited and hopefully lasting support that Southeast Missouri State University can really count on. That should make faculty, staff and students feel good. The theme "A New Vision of Excellence" drove this five-year campaign. With their gifts, contributors said the university is on the right track in its mission and scope, and will continue to improve educational excellence through this drive. The campaign represents a victory we all can relish.