SUNY Potsdam Shatters All-Time Fundraising Record, Surpassing $10 Million in Annual Giving, as College Prepares to Launch Most Ambitious Campaign in its History

Historic 2025-26 Giving to SUNY Potsdam Exceeds $10 Million, Thanks to Donor Momentum Building Toward Public Launch of Campaign

Potsdam, NY (09/10/2026) — SUNY Potsdam has achieved a new level of philanthropic support, raising more than $10 million in new gifts and commitments in a single year for the first time in College history -- nearly 70 percent more than the previous year, more than double its original $5 million goal, and more than $3.8 million above the institution's previous all-time fundraising record.

The historic year comes at a pivotal moment for SUNY Potsdam. This fall, the College will invite alumni, students, employees, friends and members of the wider community to join in the public launch of Deeply Rooted, Future Focused, the most ambitious fundraising campaign in SUNY Potsdam's history. A weeklong series of events open to the campus and community will celebrate Potsdam and the impact of philanthropy, culminating with a public campaign celebration at the College's Festival of Lights.

"What moves me most isn't the size of the checks, but the conviction behind them. Our donors see SUNY Potsdam not just as a college they once knew, but as a living force for possibility -- and they see our students as worth the investment. This surge in giving will ripple outward for generations to come," said SUNY Potsdam Vice President for Advancement David Davin.

From July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026, the Potsdam College Foundation secured $10,026,698 in new gifts and commitments, surpassing the previous record of $6.2 million set in 2011-12 during the College's last comprehensive campaign.

A gift from Phyllis Ferrantello '75 officially carried the total above the $10 million threshold this spring, as the dedicated alumna's generosity made a special event for prospective students possible. Accompanied by fellow alumni, the CrowdStrike executive welcomed students and their families to the SUNY Potsdam family at the event, and she and a colleague personally sponsored scholarships for those in attendance to commit to Potsdam.

The milestone year was also marked by two noteworthy seven-figure outright gifts:

Marilyn A. Horner made a gift of $2 million to the Potsdam College Foundation, demonstrating her deep commitment to supporting Crane students and music education. In honor of the gift, the College recently dedicated a rehearsal room at The Crane School of Music in honor of Mrs. Horner and her late husband, Francis C. Horner. Located in the recently renovated Crane Complex, the Francis C. and Marilyn A. Horner Rehearsal Room serves as a vital creative space for large ensembles and performers.

Alumnus Chuck Lorre '74 doubled down on his original $1 million gift to his alma mater by giving another $1 million to support the Student Success Initiative, funded by his namesake family foundation. The Chuck Lorre Family Foundation's new investment in the program is catalyzing further philanthropic giving and providing much-needed resources to grow the First Year Experience, Bridges program and professional advising center.

The record-setting year also reflects extraordinary confidence in SUNY Potsdam's long-term future. New planned gift and legacy commitments comprised 42 percent of the annual total, creating resources that will benefit future generations of SUNY Potsdam students. Among others, notable planned gift commitments were established by:

• Lance and Cheryl Evans
• Rich Evans
• Mary Ann and Dean Flatt
• Ernie Scheflein

Despite being one of the smallest SUNY comprehensive colleges, the Potsdam campus continues to rank among the top institutions for fundraising among its SUNY peers. And the growth was not limited to the size of gifts. The number of donors increased by 220 overall in 2025-26. At a time when national philanthropic trends have increasingly favored larger gifts from fewer donors, SUNY Potsdam saw broader participation as well as record levels of support.

The Potsdam College Foundation, which stewards private giving in support of SUNY Potsdam, received gifts from approximately 2,800 donors in 2025-26.

"As a proud alumna, I know firsthand how profoundly a Potsdam education can shape a life. To see nearly 2,800 donors choose to pay that experience forward -- even to students they may never meet -- is incredibly moving. The generosity of our donors, including those whose support I received when I was a student here, creates opportunities for all students while ensuring that what makes Potsdam so special will endure far into the future," said Potsdam College Foundation President Amy Kellogg '99.

The impact of the record year reaches across the student experience. Among outright gifts received in 2025-26, donors empowered student success by contributing $8.45 million to scholarships, academic resources and direct student services. Approximately $500,000 was given to creative and transformational experiences, including applied learning, athletics, the arts and community programming.

Flexible (unrestricted) giving exceeded $1 million for the 2025-26 fiscal year, providing critical support for emerging needs, unforeseen opportunities and strategic priorities through the Potsdam Promise and Fund for Potsdam initiatives.

Gifts made through donor-advised funds totaled $1.1 million in 2025-26. This includes gifts made through the New York State Charitable Tax Credit Program, which is now in its fifth year and has generated $1.5 million for the College overall. Applications for the program are now open and run through Sept. 30.

The Foundation was also fortunate to receive several gifts honoring individuals through the naming of physical spaces on campus in 2025-26, including the dedication of the "Doc" Mark Hartman Practice Room at The Crane School of Music, the Alex Berking Memorial Tree, and the Francis C. and Marilyn A. Horner Rehearsal Room.

The Foundation's endowment market value now stands at approximately $75.7 million, up 20 percent over the last year at this time. Giving to endowed program funds totaled $1.8 million, while giving to endowed scholarships totaled $2.5 million. These gifts generate annual, ongoing support for departments and students across campus

The record-setting year is both a milestone and a beginning.

This fall, SUNY Potsdam will publicly launch Deeply Rooted, Future Focused, the most ambitious fundraising campaign in the College's history. Set for the week of Oct. 19 to 24, the launch will bring together students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, friends and members of the broader community for a week of events celebrating SUNY Potsdam's history, its people and its future.

Everyone is invited to take part.

The week will culminate on Saturday, Oct. 24, with a public campaign celebration at the Festival of Lights, bringing the community together for a defining moment in SUNY Potsdam's next chapter and formally inviting alumni, friends and partners to help shape the future of the College.

The record-breaking support of 2025-26 provides powerful momentum as SUNY Potsdam enters this next phase -- grounded in more than two centuries of history and focused squarely on the generations still to come.

More information about the campaign launch and public events will be announced in the coming weeks.

To learn how you can make a difference for SUNY Potsdam students, visit www.potsdam.edu/giving.

About the Potsdam College Foundation:

Established in 1968, the Potsdam College Foundation is a nonprofit corporation charged with receiving gifts on behalf of SUNY Potsdam and stewarding the continued growth of private giving in support of the College. Its mission is to ensure a quality future for the College and its people by encouraging gifts of all types and stewarding endowments to support scholarships and campus programs. For more information, visit www.potsdam.edu/giving/pcf.

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