Merrimack College marked the close of its record-breaking Together for Good fundraising campaign with an elegant Together We Did finale celebration Sept. 12, 2019 to honor the incredible generosity and support of the Merrimack community. More than 350 guests, including alumni, friends, faculty and staff, gathered on campus to reflect on the monumental accomplishments of the campaign.
Raising a total of $63.5 million in gifts and commitments, Together for Good inspired more than 13,000 donors, including 7,000 first-time donors, to contribute to the College propelling Merrimack to surpass its ambitious goal of $50 million.
Nod to the Past
The evening’s festivities kicked off with a Nod to the Past-themed cocktail hour. Guests had an opportunity to walk the gold carpet leading into a tent. Inside, decades of yearbooks were available to peruse and artful displays of historic photos adorned the walls, invoking nostalgia for Merrimack’s past. Displays of black and white photos depicting aerial views of Merrimack from the 1960s through the 2000s, served as a visual reminder of the immense growth of campus throughout the years.
The Present is a Gift
The Present is a Gift themed speaking portion of the event, featured a thoughtfully prepared line-up of influential speakers from the Merrimack community.
A video timeline of historic Merrimack events opened the program. Speakers included the Rev. Raymond Dlugos, O.S.A., who opened with a reflection on the College’s Augustinian heritage and the significant role Augustinian values played in the goals and outcomes of Together for Good.
His remarks were followed by an address from Anna Gilboard ’20, a proud legacy student who recounted the story of her own Merrimack journey and how it transformed her into the confident senior she is today; determined and ready to make a positive difference in the world. She shared, “One big thing I learned here is that the impact of a Merrimack education is so much more than a diploma, it’s an entirely changed state of mind.”
Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Campaign Co-Chair Alfred J. Arcidi, Jr. ’84, P’06, M’17, ’18 spoke poignantly of the desire he and his family, along with many others, have to make an investment in Merrimack’s future and how deeply meaningful giving back to the College has been. “We have given Merrimack the building blocks to choose its own future. Whatever Merrimack might now have the will to become. Together, we helped make it possible.” Arcidi introduced an impact video, featuring seven students, faculty, staff and alumni who shared the story of the impact of the Together for Good Campaign through their eyes.
Capping off the evening’s remarks, President Christopher E. Hopey, Ph.D. spoke eloquently to the captivated audience on how purpose, vision and community came together to achieve something extraordinary throughout the course of Together for Good. A third video illustrated the incredible achievements by the numbers across all of Merrimack – from the totals raised, new buildings, new student programs developed, Division One athletics and more. Amid confetti the President proudly announced the final campaign total.
“The Together for Good campaign has been a vision squarely aimed at achieving a greater purpose. It has been more than just new buildings. More than just the hiring of new faculty. And more than just giving or fundraising. This campaign – at its core – was about bringing us all together for a common purpose, for a common goal, to achieve our destined mission to serve the greater good and make a difference in the lives of many.”
The Best is Yet to Come
Energized by the speakers’ inspiring words, the audience buzzed with excitement and appreciation as they rose to make their way to the final segment of the event, The Best is Yet to Come, featuring exhibits on nursing, NCAA Division 1 athletics and community and corporate partnerships.
From beginning to end, Together We Did was a fitting way to celebrate the strength and commitment of the Merrimack community who, together, embraced a bold vision for the future of the College and forever changed the trajectory of the institution.
