Last month, the Saint Anselm community came together for the ninth annual Days of Giving campaign. Between March 29 and 30, a new record was set with over 4,000 donors contributing to the $1.3 million raised. Giving manifested in many different forms; hundreds of volunteers, including alumni, faculty, staff, the monastic community, parents, and students, who helped make this generous vision a reality by making phone calls, sending emails, issuing challenges, and spreading the word through social media.

Saint Anselm College is an institution characterized by its generosity and tight-knit community. According to the college’s mission statement, Saint Anselm is intent on providing all its students a distinctive liberal arts education that incorporates professional or career opportunities, establishing a learning community that encourages the “lifelong pursuit of the truth and fosters intellectual, moral and spiritual growth to sustain and enrich its graduates’ personal lives, work, and engagement within local, national, and global communities.”

Donations and gifts during Days of Giving ranged from across the world, 41 different states, and our own campus community in dedication to programs and initiatives benefiting past, present, and future Anselmians. Notably, reunion classes, led by the class of 1993 in participation, raised more than $180,000 in funds. 

Senior vice president and chief advancement officer James F. Flanagan highlighted the efforts of the community, offering gratitude to “the generosity of our alumni, faculty, staff, monastic community, board of trustees, students, and parents” in supporting the Anselmian tradition. 

Vice President of Athletics Daron Montgomery led the #HawksSoarHigher athletics challenge alongside student-athletes, coaches, and staff. Over 2,600 donors supported various varsity sports programs, athletics scholarships, and athletics operations in response.

These funds also greatly contribute to the accessibility of learning and achievement at Saint Anselm College. The Days of Giving campaign tremendously helps students, faculty, and staff by providing scholarships, and funding the nursing program, the Fr. Peter Guerin, O.S.B. Center for Teaching Excellence Endowed Fund, and the Professional Development Initiative. Match and challenge gifts supported these initiatives, including the Nursing Simulation and Technology Fund, the Nursing Preceptorship Fund, the Thomas A. Melucci Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund, the Rockett Challenge (class of 1988), the Rummel Scholarship for Intercultural Leadership, Anselmian Scholarships, the Center for Ethics in Society, the Fr. Peter Guerin, and the Gregory J. Grappone ’04 Humanities Institute.

The Days of Giving webpage praises its generous Anselmians; in its mission statement for the campaign, it emphasizes the importance of preparing students to “think critically, serve selflessly, and lead ethically on the Hilltop and beyond” – especially in challenging times. Giving makes this possibility a reality for our campus community, providing unique opportunities and life-changing experiences to community members:

“Our tight-knit community gains strength through giving back. Saint Anselm College will be as great as our alumni, parents, and friends want us to be.” 

As a nonprofit college, Saint Anselm relies on charitable support to fund its academic resources, faculty, facilities, and co-curricular programs – whether it is through a $10 or $100,000 donation. Additionally, many promising and dedicated students rely on financial aid to access the rigorous liberal arts education that Saint Anselm offers.

Saint Anselm President Joseph A. Favazza, Ph.D., praised the enormous support of the college community: “Thank you to everyone who joined together as one to support the transformative education that our students, past and present, receive on the Hilltop.”

President Favazza also expressed gratitude towards the entire Advancement team, emphasizing “their incredible work to lead the campaign.”

He notes that “the incredible success of this year’s Days of Giving” is a “vote of support about the strategic direction of the college.” Specifically, President Favazza highlights the decision to establish a School of Nursing and Health Sciences, build a new nursing facility, establish Track and Field as our newest varsity team, and raise scholarship funds for underrepresented and first generation students. 

Other notable members of the Anselmian community making such a success possible include: Julie O’Connor, assistant vice president, Annual Giving; Shelagh Freda, senior associate director, Annual Giving; Katie Amato ’14, associate director, Annual Giving; Audrey Gauss, assistant director, Annual Giving; Tiffany Lewis, administrative assistant, Annual Giving; Emiko Ostrowski, director, Advancement Services; Shauna Admirand, advancement systems manager, Advancement Services; Donna Hume, coordinator, Advancement Services, Pauline Shire, database coordinator, Advancement Services; the entire Advancement team;  the College Communications and Marketing team; and the Department of Athletics.