The Campaign for St. John's College
Campaign Priorities
Increasing the Endowment
The college's greatest need is to build a strong endowment. The size of the endowment is a major factor in the long-term financial stability of the college, as well as in the college's ability to remain competitive with peer institutions. Simply put, the larger the endowment, the greater a college's ability to address academic and campus priorities.
This chart compares St. John's endowment per student with that of other colleges - schools that we often compare ourselves to in a variety of ways. As of June 30, 2007 (the most recent year for which audited data is available), the St. John's endowment stands at about $110 million, which means the college has available a little more than $139,484 per student. Grinnell, which has a large endowment, has $902,951 per student, and Haverford, in the middle of the pack, has $461,581 per student.
College Endowment per student at Peer Institutions
- Pomona $1,157,894
- Amherst $987,747
- Swarthmore $933,333
- Grinnell $902,951
- Haverford $461,581
- Claremont McKenna $411,477
- Bowdoin $345,000
- Carleton $340,958
- Colorado $218,974
- Oberlin $216,842
- St. John's $139,484
- Reed $122,950
With the current endowment spending policy, the college draws about 5% every year to use for scholarships, salaries, student life improvements, and other purposes. With the current endowment, that means St. John's has $5000 per student to spend annually. Grinnell has $43,000 per student to spend annually. St. John's is far short of other colleges in the amount of money available to meet priorities. The goal for the campaign is to increase the endowment by $46.5 million.
Preserving the Program though the Annual Fund
In addition to increasing the endowment, St. John's College needs an active Annual Fund that supports the same priorities. The Annual Fund supports instruction (primarily faculty salaries), financial aid, student services and internships, admissions and other essential operations, libraries and laboratories. The Annual Fund supplies immediate funding for yearly operations, while the endowment provides that support - through annual draws - in perpetuity. The two work together; each is essential to the financial health of the college.
The college can sustain the Program of instruction only because of the success of the Annual Fund and the participation in it by alumni, parents, and friends. During the campaign, St. John's hopes to secure increases to the usual annual contributions in the form of five-year pledges to the Annual Fund.
The goal for the campaign is $29 million in Annual Fund contributions.
Improving the campuses through capital projects
The college has identified building projects as priorities for the campaign. These include new dormitories on both campuses, a new Graduate Institute center in Santa Fe, renovations to buildings in Annapolis, and additions to the laboratory facilities in Santa Fe.
The goal for the campaign is $49.5 million for improvements and additions to the facilities on the two campuses.
Summary of campaign goals:
- $46.5 million in endowment
- $49.5 million for capital improvements
- $29 million for annual operating funds
Total: $125 million