WS Chronicle

Salem Academy and College announced last week that it would officially launch a $60 million campaign in February 2015. The campaign will focus on four critical areas: capital and technological infrastructures, support for faculty and for academic programs, scholarships for highly qualified students and annual financial growth.

President D. E. Lorraine Sterritt

“These major initiatives build upon more than two centuries of rigorous education in the arts and sciences and enable us to look with optimism, excitement, and ambition to Salem’s future,” says President D. E. Lorraine Sterritt, who begin her tenure at Salem on July 1.

Sterritt, who has been sharing a vision for Salem with alumnae and friends in major cities throughout the Southeast, says the campaign initiatives have been enthusiastically welcomed by Salem supporters. With more than $26 million raised over the past two years, during a quiet phase, she is confident about Salem’s ability to inspire generosity in support of advancing the institution to new heights.

Trustees Rebecca Hewit Rauenhorst and Jennifer Reinhardt Lynch will lead the campaign, working with a committee that comprises Academy and College staff, alumnae, parents, and trustees from across the United States.

“The campaign for Salem Academy and College will lead all of us to imagine greater possibilities for our students and for Salem’s future,” says Rauenhorst, a college alumna and community volunteer from Tampa, Fla.. “We have a responsibility to continue Salem’s mission to educate girls and women of all backgrounds and experiences and to help them reach their highest potential in their studies and in their contributions in the world, both now and in the future.”

Academy alumna and Wells Fargo senior VP Lynch said, “My Salem experience was transformative for me. It opened doors I never imagined and gave me the ability to successfully pursue my passions. It gave me lasting and supportive friendships. It is a privilege to be part of the team that will help more girls and women to realize their dreams through the Salem experience.”