May 4 celebration marks success of Faculty/Staff Campaign, honors donors

The campaign, which ends May 31, has achieved a 71 percent participation rate. 

Another record-setting participation rate brought Elon employees together May 4 to celebrate the successes of the 2014-15 Faculty/Staff Campaign at an ice cream social in the Numen Lumen Pavilion.

With the help of 64 faculty and staff campaign captains who worked to spread the message of the campaign to others in their departments, more than 920 Elon employees contributed to support this year’s efforts, yielding a record-breaking giving rate of 71 percent. Gifts to the campaign totaled $346,067 to support the Chaplain’s Discretionary Fund, the Elon Experiences, athletics, academic departments and schools, and scholarships, among numerous other priorities.

The celebration featured remarks from Maria Restuccio ’15, who expressed her gratitude to the many donors who have helped her find her passions through leadership and service-learning experiences at Elon. 

“Without all of you, I may have never found my passion for service and health system development,” Restuccio said.

Campaign co-chair Michele Kleckner shared remarks about this year’s success and presented a check for the campaign proceeds to President Leo M. Lambert, who thanked everyone for their generosity and all that they do for Elon.

Michelle McQuage, coordinator of annual giving, helped organize campaign participation across the campus.

“The Faculty/Staff Campaign is a university initiative that is near and dear to the hearts of many faculty and staff across campus,” McQuage said. “This year’s overwhelmingly positive response to the campaign shows that Elon is a community in which people truly care about each other, the strength of this university and the success of our students.”

Faculty and staff who have not yet participated can contribute to the annual giving campaign by visiting www.elon.edu/makeagift. Gifts made through May 31 will be counted toward this year’s participation total.