Earlham Awarded Anonymous Gift

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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe new year has begun in a big way for Earlham College in Richmond. An anonymous donor, with the help of the Chicago Community Foundation, has given a $1 million gift to the college to be used toward student scholarships.
Earlham says the gift was delivered on New Year’s Eve through a grant from Our Giving Tree, an account at the foundation. The college plans to set up a scholarship fund in the name of Our Giving Tree, which will support "need-based financial awards" given to students as part of their financial aid packages.
"It was a wonderful surprise to receive this gift," says Avis Stewart, vice president for institutional advancement and community relations at Earlham. "Major gifts like this are usually the result of long-term relationships with donors who we know very well, so we are accustomed to knowing when the gifts are coming. Every once in a while, though, we get gifts we were not expecting. This gift is humbling because it reminds us that the positive impact of Earlham is felt way beyond campus and that there are many generous philanthropists who see the value of the education we offer and who want to support our students."
The gift capped off a successful 2016 for the college, which celebrated a team of students and graduates winning the $1 million Hult Prize and alumna Margaret Hamilton receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom, among other notable stories.