Posted by Rebecca Orbach
The college is expecting more than 2,000 guests on campus this weekend to celebrate the completion of its six-year "Creative Thought Bold Promise" campaign, with a full schedule of events taking place on campus.
In May, the College's fundraising campaign surpassed its $200 million goal, raising $216.5 million.
More than 18,000 parents, alumni, friends and Skidmore employees contributed to the campaign.
These contributions more than doubled the total of any of the college's previous fund-raising efforts.
The campaign began in 2004 and was framed by the college's strategic plan, which aimed to increase student academic engagement, intercultural and global understanding and responsible citizenship.
Fundraising was specifically directed toward financial aid, endowment, sustainability initiatives and academic programs.
The new Arthur Zankel Music Center is the largest facility, 54,000 square feet, funded by the campaign.
The building is named after former Skidmore board member and parent Arthur Zankel, whose $46 million donation is the largest gift in the college's history.
Saturday Oct. 16 there will be an invitation-only concert in Zankel that features pianist Emanuel Ax, who will remain on campus from Thursday to Saturday as this year's McCormack Visiting Artist-Scholar.
Zankel has allowed the Music Department classroom and rehearsal space and has provided the region with 600-seat Helen Filene Ladd Concert Hall.
Though it has only been opened for eight months, Zankel has already hosted dozens of performances and master classes featuring world-class artists of all genres.
This summer, the facility was home to the Skidmore Flute Institute, the Saratoga Harp Colony, the New York School of Orchestral Studies and the New York State Arts Presenters Symposium.
"This accomplishment is a tribute to the incredible generosity of the extended Skidmore family and represents a remarkable achievement in its own right. But even more importantly, the campaign has enabled us to invest in the life of the college in ways that have made a material and enduring contribution to the quality of the Skidmore experience for our students, to our continuing value to alumni and to our capacity to enhance our region," President Philip A. Glotzbach said.
Other on-campus events this weekend include the dedication of the Susan Kettering Williamson '59 Sports Center, a continuation of events celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery and the annual "Under the Big Top" show presented by the college's a cappella groups and other student performers.