It was established as an individualized course of development in which outstanding students build leadership skills through independent study, community service and experimental learning.
The 10 Brown Fellows of the Class of 2014 participated in an enrichment program in Vietnam and Cambodia this summer. Each summer of their college careers, Brown Fellows will take part in a similar enrichment activity.
Development
Richard Trollinger, vice president for college relations, reported the 2009-10 fundraising year finished strong, and the new year is off to a very promising start. The final rate for alumni participation in annual giving for 2009-10 was 56 percent, an overall increase of three percentage points over the previous year. In addition, with this participation rate, the college regained its position among the top five colleges in the nation in this important measure of alumni support.
For a second consecutive year, the College received a council for Advancement and Support of Education Circle of Excellence award for Educational Fundraising, according to Trollinger.
In addition to a 56-percent overall alumni giving participation rate, Trollinger announced other noteworthy giving rates for the 2009-10 fiscal year: 54 percent of parents made gifts last year; 52 percent of the Class of 2010 participated in the Senior Class Gift; and 55 percent of all donors gave on a level that qualified them for membership in one of Centre’s special gift clubs (which begin at $100).
In addition, Trollinger announced the establishment of three new endowed scholarships: The Barbara S. Hickey Scholarship, The Larry Matheny Scholarship and The Edgar N. and Ben Alice Purdom Scholarship. These new endowed funds were formally approved by the unanimous vote of the trustees.
The Barbara S. Hickey Scholarship will be awarded to deserving students with financial need, with first preference given to daughters of Presbyterian ministers, second preference given to daughters of ministers of any Christian denomination, and third preference given to worthy young women.
The Larry Matheny Scholarship will be awarded to deserving full-time Centre students who have declared a major in Division II (Social Studies).
The Edgar N. and Ben Alice Purdom Scholarship will be awarded to worthy full-time students at Centre College.
Academic affairs
Stephanie Fabritius, vice president of academic affairs and dean of the college, reported Centre enjoyed a four-year graduation rate of 87 percent for the Class of 2010, the highest rate in Kentucky. The four-year graduation rate has been above 80 percent for four-straight years.
In addition, it was announced Centre has received a National Science Foundation Academic Renovation of Infrastructure grant of almost $1.1 million to renovate the research areas of Young Hall, the College’s primary science facility. The new addition to Young Hall was completed in time for the beginning of the fall term, and the renovations on the old are under way and are projected to conclude by February 2011.
It was also reported that the college’s fifth year of its partnership with the Posse Foundation remains strong, bringing the total number of Posse students enrolled at Centre to 49. The Posse Foundation of New York is an organization that prepares promising public high school students from urban areas for enrollment at top-tier colleges nationwide. The college graduated its first Posse class in May 2010.
Sabbaticals
Sabbatical leaves were approved for the following professors: Rick Axtell, associate professor of religion; Jeff Fieberg, associate professor of chemistry; Ken Keffer, H.W. Stodghill Jr. and Adele H. Stodghill Professor of French and German; Phil Lockett, professor of physics; Dan Manheim, H.W. Stodghill Jr. and Adele Stodghill Professor of English; Donna Plummer, associate professor of education; Peggy Richey, professor of biology and biochemistry and molecular biology; Sheldon Tapley, H.W. Stodghill Jr. and Adele H. Stodghill Professor of Art; Beau Weston, John M. and Louise Van Winkle Professor of Sociology; and Clarence Wyatt, Claude D. Pottinger Professor of History.
The next scheduled meeting of the Centre Board of Trustees will be Jan. 28-29 in Louisville
