Thomas Raises $371,000, Exceeds Alfond Foundation Challenge
40-day challenge adds $671,000 to College’s Capital Campaign

         Thomas College has successfully raised more than $371,000 over a 40-day period to meet and exceed a challenge set forth by New England philanthropist Harold Alfond in October.
         “The benefits of Mr. Alfond’s generosity through his foundation will have a tremendous affect on this and upcoming generations of students at Thomas. The addition of the new athletic facility makes this campus more attractive to prospective students and will greatly help us in attracting more students to Thomas. This is an exciting time for Thomas,” said Conrad Ayotte, chair of the board of trustees.
         The College received a surprise challenge of $300,000 from Alfond during a dedication ceremony of the new Harold Alfond Athletic Center on October 5. His foundation’s pledge was contingent on Thomas matching the $300,000 within 40 days.
         Thomas raised a total of $371,245 in cash and pledges from trustees, alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends of the College. These funds, in addition to the $300,000 Harold Alfond Foundation challenge, brings the total to $671,245. The money is earmarked for The Thomas College: Guaranteeing the Future capital campaign.
         The latest challenge comes two years after the Harold Alfond Foundation pledged $1.25 million for the construction of the Harold Alfond Athletic Center.
         The new 38,000 square-foot field house is a prominent addition to Thomas’ 70-acre campus. It features a three-court surface with synthetic flooring, jogging track, comprehensive fitness center, multipurpose aerobic exercise room and men’s and women’s locker rooms.
         The facility is the centerpiece of a $9.6 million campaign that also includes funds for scholarship endowment and annual operations. The Thomas Challenge: Guaranteeing the Future campaign is the largest in the College’s history and was launched in response to strategic planning that calls for doubling the size of the undergraduate division from 500 to nearly 1,000 students over a 10-year period.

###