November 2006

Academic 2005-06 was an important year in Coe's history, one that saw the college set new benchmarks in several key areas. A strong entering class of 378, combined with excellent retention of returning students, yielded an all-time record enrollment of 1,235. The larger size of the student body led to the setting of the second benchmark: 1,030 students dwelt in our residence halls, more students than at any time previous in Coe's history. Perhaps more important still, the academic profile of the entering class proved to be the strongest ever at Coe. Simply put, Coe's level of selectivity has risen to a new plateau. It was an important year.

The year was an important one for faculty as well. Coe is blessed with instructors who are wonderfully talented teachers, but who also are engaged in scholarly work in their respective fields. More than a dozen of Coe's faculty received grants during the course of the year, several of them for significant amounts. As well, more than two dozen faculty had pieces of scholarly or creative work published during the course of the year. The range of these pieces—from poetry selections, to scholarly articles, to major text books—suggests the vibrancy of intellectual life found in Coe's faculty.

In athletics, 2005-06 was important in the sense that it saw Coe begin to emerge as a real force within the Iowa Conference. The football team won its third conference championship in the last four years, earning a playoff berth in the NCAA Division III regional competition. There, the team played well but lost against a strong team from Moorhead, Minnesota. Men's basketball, not to be outdone, won the conference championship, and men's tennis captured the championship for the sixth year in a row. The baseball team had not won a championship since 1993, but in this breakout year for Coe athletics, the team was not to be denied and emerged as tournament champions. Softball finished second in the conference, but was invited to post season NCAA competition. There they won the regional playoffs in the Quad Cities, and were one of eight teams asked to compete at the national championships in North Carolina. They acquitted themselves well, losing to the eventual national champion, Rutgers. It was a wonderful year for Coe athletics.

The importance of 2005-06 in the history of the college's buildings and grounds is difficult to overstate.  A new administration building was opened in December, and dedicated at the May board meeting. McCabe Hall added 10,800 square feet of beautifully appointed space to house the offices of the vice president for advancement, alumni affairs, the vice president of academic affairs and dean of the faculty, and the president. Of greater significance still, moving administrators out of Stuart Hall freed up space there, permitting the college to begin a thorough renovation of its oldest building. All of the space that administration had occupied on the third and fourth floors of Stuart for offices and storage was converted into academic classrooms, laboratories, and faculty offices. At the same time, a redesign and upgrade of the first two floors was undertaken, so that the entire building was recreated as a virtually new structure. All together, 36,000 square feet of new or renovated academic space was created, the first new instructional space built on Coe's campus in more than 30 years.

The Coe Fund helps underwrite every aspect of the education our students receive, both within and beyond the classroom. In view of the importance of the Coe Fund, I ask that you entertain the possibility of contributing to the college this year. Please know that every gift to Coe advances the cause, regardless of size. Indeed, each gift signifies a belief in the institution by those who care about it.

On behalf of the entire campus community, I thank you for all that you have done for Coe in the past, for your continuing belief in the institution, and for whatever commitment you are able to make. Be assured that any gift you make will be put to excellent use. And for your consideration of this request, many thanks!

Sincerely,
James Phifer
Coe College President

Where do I send my gift?

If you are you have any questions about making a contribution to Coe, please contact Lisa Pritchard, Director of the Coe Fund, at lpritcha@coe.edu or 1-800-332-8404, ext. 8569 or 319-399-8569.

Matching Gifts

Double or even triple your gift's impact on the College! More than 1,000 companies offer some level of corporate match for their employees' philanthropic interests. Best of all, you are recognized for the full amount of your own gift plus any resulting corporate match.

Contact your company's personnel or human resources office to find out if your employer, or your spouse's employer, has a matching gift program. Many companies even match retired employees. To check on-line if your company has a matching program - please click here.

Are there other ways of giving?

While annual gifts are crucial to Coe, they are not the only way to support the College. Some other ways to give include:

• Establishing an endowment
  
  
• Remembering Coe in your will
  
  
• Making a gift that will provide you income throughout your life
  
  
• Making a "gift-in-kind"

If you are interested in any of these other areas, please contact Dan Breitbach at 319-399-8612.