In a 1994 speech, Henry Copeland, Wooster’s ninth
president, reflected on the importance of the Independent
Study program. “I suspect,” he said, “that
the College’s educational future will rest on its ability
to preserve and enhance this superb opportunity, despite
its expense.”
In establishing the goals for Independent Minds: The Campaign
for Wooster, we considered the degree to which our academic
facilities promote and enhance research and collaboration.
We examined our residential life program to ensure that it
provides adequate facilities and opportunities for recreation,
social interaction, and wellness. We even looked at the campus
through the eyes of prospective students to determine if
Wooster made the right first impression.
And because it provides the foundation for so many things,
we carefully assessed the strength of our endowment. Is it
of sufficient size to provide scholarships and financial
assistance to motivated and talented students? Does it generate
the resources to attract and retain teacher-scholars whose
dedication inspires students to achieve excellence in their
work?
Once we had defined our priorities, we had to determine
whether we could hope to fund them. Members of the Board
of Trustees and several alumni and friends gave us confidence
in our ambitious goals by contributing enough to complete
funding for four of the major facility projects and to
endow several new professorships and scholarships. Their
extraordinary generosity provided the momentum to launch
the campaign and the confidence to seek the support of other
alumni, parents, and friends in this endeavor.
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