Campaign Updates

September 1, 2021

Thanks to alums and friends, this campaign to renovate the iconic and storied Agnes Scott “Main” Hall has now raised more than $19 million against the $31.8 million goal! This means that we have surpassed the 60% mark with over 400 gifts ranging from $10 to $2 million.

While we celebrate this wonderful progress toward the goal amid a global pandemic, we are not done yet. We are focused on getting the job done and raising the remaining $12.8 million in gifts needed to complete the third and final phase of renovation. To do this, we need you!

See Restoration Photos

As many of you know, Main Hall is both the residential home to students and administrative home to college leadership, including President Zak. As recently announced, it will also house the college’s new Center for Career Discovery and Professional Success — a comprehensive resource and experiential venue that will integrate curricular, team-based advising and co-curricular programming in one campus space. It will facilitate individualized professional development opportunities and career exploration for students, leverage on- and off-campus partnerships to benefit students’ career wellness, and create pathways for experiential learning. In this envisioned space, students will be empowered through career communities, career readiness competencies and career programming to foster their success in attaining lifelong career fulfillment.

The center will also feature interview rooms for students to meet and be interviewed and hired by talent professionals from the for-profit, nonprofit and government sectors as interns and employees, as well as a career bar akin to Apple’s Genius Bar, where students will be able to drop in or schedule appointments with career coaches.

Please take a moment to review the summary of restoration work below and to explore floor plans and naming opportunities, as well as architectural renderings and panoramas for Main's renovation. You can also make a gift to The Campaign for Main on this page.

Phase I restoration work was completed in fall 2018 and included foundation stabilization and waterproofing.

Phase II restoration work was completed in June 2021 and included lead paint abatement, the replacement of the roof and the installation of a new enclosed roof space that will house the building’s HVAC equipment, tuckpointing and replacement of brickwork, window replacement, and other exterior enhancements.

Phase III restoration work will include administrative offices and student rooms renovation, including furniture, fixtures, lighting and technology equipment; updated plumbing, electrical systems, HVAC and audiovisual equipment; and preservation of the bell tower, including the digitization and display of the hundreds of student signatures that adorn its walls.

If you, or you know of others who, are interested in having a tour of the restoration work already completed, please email us advancement@agnesscott.edu. Thank you for all that you have done, are doing and will do to help us continue fulfilling our mission to prepare students to lead everywhere by getting Main Hall done.

Sincerely,

Robiaun Charles, Ed.D., CFRE
Vice President for College Advancement

August 5, 2021

Agnes Scott’s commitment to career exploration and discovery will be realized through the creation of the Center for Career Discovery and Professional Success in the most iconic building on the college’s campus, Main Hall. A comprehensive resource and experiential venue, the center will integrate curricular, team-based advising and co-curricular programming in one campus space. It will facilitate individualized professional development opportunities and career exploration for students, leverage on- and off-campus partnerships to benefit students’ career wellness and create pathways for experiential learning. In this envisioned space, students will be empowered through career communities, career readiness competencies and career programming to foster their success to attain lifelong career fulfillment.

The center will feature interview rooms for students to meet, interview and be hired by talent professionals from the for-profit, nonprofit and government sectors students as interns and employees, as well as a career bar akin to Apple’s genius bar where students will be able to drop-in or schedule appointments with career coaches.

"More intentional career exploration and discovery has allowed all students, especially those from lower-income and first-generation backgrounds, to take advantage of the full breadth of the opportunity afforded by a liberal arts education more confidently and knowledgeably," said Dawn Killenberg, executive director of the Office of Internship and Career Development. "I am excited about how the creation of a dedicated physical space will enhance the work underway in our strategic plan Pathways to Success 2026 for the good of all Scotties."

Please take a moment to explore floor plans and naming opportunities, as well as architectural renderings and panoramas for Main's renovation below. You can also make a gift to The Campaign for Main on this page. Contact Robiaun Charles, vice president for college advancement, at 404.471.6326 or rcharles@agnesscott.edu for additional information.

View "The Restoration of Agnes Scott 'Main' Hall: Behind the Tarp and Scaffolding" video featuring President Leocadia I. Zak, Vice President for Business and Finance Ken England, and representatives from Holder (construction company), Carter (construction management company) and Jenkins Peer (architectural firm).

View The Restoration of Agnes Scott 'Main' Hall Video

March 2, 2021

Dear Campaign for Main Supporters,

I hope you and yours well and staying safe. As you are a philanthropic investor in the restoration of Agnes Scott "Main" Hall, I am pleased to share with you that fundraising for the Campaign for Main has officially passed the halfway mark! Thanks to you, and nearly 370 other donors, we have raised more than $16 million toward the $31.8 million goal to fully renovate Main Hall. Your philanthropy has funded the first two phases of a three-phase renovation.

I invite you to sign-up for an in-person "masked and physically-distanced" behind-the-scenes renovation tour of Main Hall. Thank you again for investing in the restoration of Main Hall — a high-priority fundraising campaign that reflects the college's commitment to provide students with a renowned residential learning experience; one which COVID-19 has reminded us is vitally important to their academic success.

Lastly, please help us spread the word of the Campaign for Main by sharing the campaign website and campaign update video below with your family, friends and colleagues.

Sincerely,

Robiaun Charles, Ed.D., CFRE
Vice President for College Advancement

December 7, 2020

The class of 1980 has raised an impressive $145,297 (and counting!) for the Campaign for Main. When the renovation is complete, two rooms in Main Hall will bear the name of the “Class of 1980.”

The idea for a class project began when Susie Deiters ’80 accepted the invitation to give through the “Make the First Move for Main” initiative in which current and former Alumnae Board members collectively raised almost $2 million to kick off Main Hall fundraising in February 2019. Wanting to do more, Susie thought her gift could make a larger impact if she recruited her Main Hall roommate Peggy Shepard ’80 and hallmate Keller Torrey ’80 to join her in giving to the campaign.

The trio was inspired to “go big” by engaging the entire class as they approached their 40th reunion last spring. They reached out to all of the class officers who readily agreed to give and lend a hand in creating humorous and memory-evoking e-blasts and letters. Their fundraising goal was ambitious: $100,000 for Main Hall, above and beyond class giving to The Fund for Agnes Scott. Despite the pandemic scuttling plans for an in-person reunion, the small but mighty class of 1980 exceeded its Main Hall fundraising goal by securing gifts and pledges from 26 classmates. (They still hope to hit their participation goal of 40 gifts.)

Considering the impact she hopes this class gift will have, Susie recalled that the residential floors of Main Hall have been empty since last year. “We hope that students will return to those floors and build friendships there that will grow and last as long as ours have,” she said.

Additionally, she hopes that the class of 1980 fundraising efforts might inspire other classes to return the love that Main Hall nurtured in all of the Scotties who gathered, lived and studied there.

If your class is interested in naming a space in Main Hall, please contact Liz Santamaria '08 or Robin Harp in the development office. Susie has kindly offered to be a resource to other classes that may be interested in doing something collectively for Main Hall.

October 27, 2020

I hope that this message finds you and your families well and staying safe during COVID-19 and the challenging times we are experiencing. While the pandemic and its impact are truly unprecedented, Agnes Scott College and our students, faculty and staff remain resilient and focused on fulfilling our mission, which is critically relevant today.

One of the most iconic symbols of our mission is Agnes Scott “Main” Hall, which has been at the heart of our beautiful campus since 1891. The building has not only been home away from home for thousands of Scotties since its original construction, it also serves as the administrative home of President Leocadia I. Zak and other college leaders. The need to restore Main Hall and enhance its vitality became urgent in recent years as age and extensive use resulted in a fragile structure that required substantial investment and effort. This restoration project became the Campaign for Main.

The Campaign for Main, a $31.8 million fundraising campaign, was launched in 2018 to secure the funding needed for a LEED-certified and comprehensive restoration that will serve Scotties for decades to come. Although the campaign was paused in March 2020 with the emergence of COVID-19, I am excited to share with you today the campaign’s fundraising and restoration progress and announce its relaunch.

Fundraising progress: $15.5 million (48.7%) of the $31.8 million fundraising goal has been raised to date from more than 325 donors, including alumnae, spouses, parents, and corporate and foundation friends. The gifts have fully funded Phase I and Phase II restoration work.

Phase I restoration work was completed in fall 2018 and included foundation stabilization and waterproofing.

Phase II restoration work is currently underway and includes the replacement of the roof and the installation of a new enclosed roof space that will house the building’s HVAC equipment, tuckpointing and replacement of brickwork, window replacement, and other exterior enhancements.

It is a testament to the generosity of donors who made gifts and pledges that we have met the full costs of Phases I and II. We are profoundly grateful for their commitment to Agnes Scott and this critical project. Now we turn to raising the remaining $16.3 million to fund Phase III restoration work and successfully conclude the Campaign for Main.

Phase III restoration work will include student living spaces and administrative offices renovation, including furniture, fixtures, lighting and technology equipment; updated plumbing, electrical systems, HVAC and audiovisual equipment; preservation of the bell tower, including the digitization and display of the hundreds of student signatures that adorn its walls.

We recognize the challenge of raising $16.3 million, especially in the face of the coronavirus pandemic; however, it is a challenge that we embrace fully. The importance and urgency of completing the much-needed restoration is not simply about reaching our fundraising goal. It is about returning students to the three residential floors of Main Hall instead of occupying rooms in our Avery Glen Apartments off-campus. Students living and learning in our vibrant campus community as they prepare to lead everywhere is what guides our efforts. Ultimately, the Campaign for Main ensures that Scotties of tomorrow will experience the same history and traditions that began in 1891 and continue today.

View The Restoration of Agnes Scott 'Main' Hall Video

In the relaunch of this campaign, we are focused on engaging more alumnae, parents and friends, as well as corporations and foundations, to name the remaining residential rooms, student gathering and study spaces, conference rooms, and other areas. We are offering in-person “behind the scenes” tours of the restoration work underway for campaign donors and others considering a gift to the campaign, as well as conducting Zoom sessions with campus leaders and the project’s architectural firm and construction firm to provide insight into the vision and details of this ambitious restoration. You may contact Henry Taylor, our senior director of development, at htaylor@agnesscott.edu to learn more or to ask questions.

In closing, I invite you to view this video chronicling the restoration progress thanks to your support. Thank you for all that you have done, are doing and will do to help us continue fulfilling our mission and preparing students to lead everywhere.

Sincerely,

Robiaun Charles, Ed.D., CFRE
Vice President for College Advancement

February 26, 2020

Dear Scotties,

I am excited to reach out to you as 2020 marks the 131st year of Agnes Scott College and the enduring legacy of our impactful mission to educate women “to think deeply, live honorably and engage the intellectual and social challenges of their times.” Your life as an alumna is a testament to the Scottie education and one of the most iconic symbols of the Scottie experience is Main Hall.

Main is in urgent need of restoration and The Campaign for Main needs the support of every Scottie as we actively seek the $31.6 million in funding for this critical project. The renovation of Main Hall combined with sustaining the impact of The Fund for Agnes Scott are the college’s top priorities.

I am asking you to join me in reaching the goal of the Holder Challenge. Specifically, this is a unique opportunity for all Scotties and friends of Agnes Scott to invest in our future.

I will give $1 million toward Main Hall’s renovation IF alumnae, faculty, staff, students, parents and friends collectively give $1 million to the Campaign for Main by making a gift or pledge to the Campaign for Main AND an equal gift or pledge to The Fund for Agnes Scott (i.e., $1,000 total gift with $500 for Main Hall and $500 for The Fund for Agnes Scott) by December 31, 2020.

View Agnes Scott "Main" Hall Update Video

Agnes Scott needs us and everyone can participate in a meaningful way. I have never met a Scottie who would back away from a challenge and I know from experience that there is nothing that we cannot achieve, TOGETHER. Please join me in fulfilling this challenge by make your commitment today to the Campaign for Main and The Fund for Agnes Scott.

Thank you for your consideration and loyal support.

Beth Holder ‘82
Chair, Board of Trustees

February 26, 2019

On February 22, 2019, past and present members of the Agnes Scott Alumnae Board gathered in Rebekah Scott Hall to take the first strides toward the renovation of Agnes Scott "Main" Hall, the college's oldest and most iconic building. The success of SUMMIT has brought enrollment growth, and Agnes Scott needs to provide a residential experience that will enable the college to retain these students and attract new ones. The Alumnae Board has boldly agreed to take the first steps in fundraising for the renovation of this beloved building.

Attendees at the Make the First Move for Main event heard from President Zak, Main Hall senior resident assistant Alaska Matthews '19 and Alumnae Board President Giselle Martin '98 about the importance of preserving this historic campus building, and were treated to a heartfelt video featuring Susan Thomas '66 and Shekinah Phillips '15, which you can view below. Guests were provided the opportunity to make their first gifts to fund the renovation project. The goal for the Main Hall renovation fund is $31 million, and every gift counts!

"I am excited about Main's renovation because I know that it won't take away from Main's character. It will simply bring to the forefront the details that are already a key part of Main's beauty and presence on campus. I thank you on behalf of all the students who live in Main for your interest and your generosity to make our home the envy of all the other buildings on campus."
- Alaska Matthews '19

View Photo Slideshow

View Make the First Move for Main Video: Susan Thomas '66 & Shekinah Phillips '15

View Make the First Move for Main Video: President Leocadia I. Zak