Five years ago, Bridgewater College embarked on a journey to elevate, inspire and connect with the BC community through Connections: The Campaign for Bridgewater College. This targeted fundraising campaign concluded on June 30, 2025, exceeding its goal and raising $36.7 million from more than 1,100 donors.
“We are humbled by the generosity of our donors,” College President Dr. David Bushman said. “Their philanthropic spirit will have a lasting impact on Bridgewater students, now and for generations to come.”
Campaigns are a common fundraising technique utilized by nonprofit organizations big and small, including colleges and universities. These initiatives provide a focused narrative and targeted goals for organizations to generate philanthropic support for their missions. At BC, however, the Connections Campaign was more than just a common fundraising strategy —it was a thoughtfully designed effort to engage alumni and friends. Even the name of the campaign was intentional.
“One of the hallmarks of the BC experience is the connections that are formed here,” Bushman explained. “Webs of opportunity between students, faculty and alumni create meaningful relationships of lasting significance. We intentionally chose the name ‘Connections’ for the campaign for this very reason.”
Much of the campaign success can be attributed to the intentional alignment of campaign goals with the College’s The Vision for our Future: Strategic Plan 2025, narrowing the campaign focus around three strategic priorities for the College: current-use scholarships, teaching and learning initiatives, and capital projects. These pillars resonated with donors and highlighted the significant impact their contributions would have on the College’s programs and initiatives.
A unique aspect of the Connections Campaign was that donors could see their investments going to work right away, rather than waiting until the end of the campaign, as programs were enhanced and capital projects—such as Rebecca Quad and the renovations to Bowman Hall—came to fruition within the timeline of the campaign.
“Often with fundraising efforts it can take a while before an organization is ready to utilize donations. But with the Connections Campaign, things were in motion from day one,” said Meg Flory Riner, Vice President for Institutional Advancement. “As contributions came in, strategic priorities were accomplished, allowing donors and students to experience the positive impact of the campaign.”
Skyler Parks ’26, a biochemistry major with a double minor in biomedical sciences and psychology, reflected on how her BC experience has been enhanced by contributions from donors.
“I’ve spent hours in donor-supported spaces like Bowman Hall and Rebecca Quad. I’ve had incredible research, leadership and travel opportunities that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise,” she said.
Highlights of the campaign included the naming of the College’s three schools: the Bonnie Forrer and John Harvey Rhodes School of Arts and Humanities in 2021, the Rev. Wilfred E. and Dr. Joyce A. Nolen School of Business and Professional Studies in 2023, and the Greg L. and Betty P. Coffman School of Natural Sciences in 2024. Capital projects that were realized during the Connections Campaign included the creation of Rebecca Quad, a new outdoor gathering space; the renovation of Bowman Hall, one of the College’s primary classroom buildings; and upgrades to the Jopson Athletic Complex.
Donor contributions also enabled the launch of the College’s engineering program, including the creation of several specialized labs, and financial support for study abroad, student research, internships and faculty research across the College. In addition, the Connections Campaign raised more than $8.1 million towards the Eagle Fund, a current-use scholarship fund to help students with direct and essential scholarship support.
– Kelly A. Snow
12/1/25
