Dear Oxy community,
Each year, this Contributors Report reflects proudly on the generosity of thousands of alumni, parents, students, faculty, staff, and friends. This year, the pride that we feel for the Oxy community is even more justified. Thank you! In times like these, the Oxy relationships and bonds that typically connect us have also inspired the best in us as we have come together—held firm by our belief in the power of community and collective action—in the face of what has proven to be one of the most challenging years in Occidental’s history and the world at large. With a global pandemic causing the closure of campus, the civil unrest from the overdue recognition of systemic racism, and the tensions of a national election, our college and our country are at a critical impasse.
Yet, despite all of this, the Oxy community has shown us its deep devotion and exceeded all our expectations for support on behalf of our students, faculty, and staff. In this last academic year ending June 30, 2020, we raised $40.6 million in total commitments to the College, which included a record $5.7 million to the Oxy Fund. This impressive year was buoyed by our incredibly successful first day of giving—the Day For Oxy. Held on April 20 in honor of Oxy’s founder’s day, the Day For Oxy raised 2594 gifts totaling $1.6 million, most of which benefits the Oxy Fund, which provides current, flexible spending for Oxy’s greatest needs such as financial aid, faculty support, student activities and athletics, and campus renewal. Additionally, Tiger support from volunteers as well as attendance at Oxy events, both in-person and virtual, have increased in spite of this challenging year.
We are deeply moved by your generosity, particularly as we know that many families are struggling with the economic impact of COVID-19. Your support will help us with our critically important work of teaching and learning while building the foundation for Occidental’s sustained success.
Currently, as of November 5, 2020, our fundraising total for The Oxy Campaign For Good stands at $162.8 million, and we are progressing steadily towards our $225 million goal. The Campaign was launched primarily to grow the endowment, to build long-term support for the intergenerational needs of our students and to continue propelling us towards our mission of providing the highest quality liberal arts education to a diverse and talented group of students. Our commitment to the Campaign is unwavering, but our immediate needs due to the pandemic are even greater. The current financial constraints due to the closure of campus are overwhelmingly significant, but we remain confident, because of your dedication, that we can provide a top-notch liberal arts education that is innovative and compelling. For that, we are humbled and grateful.
Finally, we are honored to welcome Harry J. Elam, Jr. as the sixteenth president of Occidental College. We are excited by Harry’s energy and leadership as he has already, in just a few months, virtually met hundreds of Oxy community members to hear their impressions and to learn more about their hopes for the College, work which will continue on into the year ahead.
Thank you for making an Oxy education possible for students today and for generations to come. We wish you health and safety, and we are grateful to you for supporting the good that our graduates continue to bring to our community and the world.
With gratitude and wishes for health,
Anne Wilson Cannon ’74
William M. Kahane ’70
Gil Kemp P’04
Ian McKinnon ’89