This campaign will raise the remaining $7.5 million out of our $15 million goal to fund the Golisano Community Engagement Center.
The first phase of the Connect the Community campaign began in August 2019 with a $7.5 million gift from Paychex founder and philanthropist Tom Golisano to build the innovative new Community Engagement Center. The gift is the largest in Roberts Wesleyan’s 153-year history. The 25,000-square-foot two-story center will be a hub for connection, collaboration and student life resources. It will be the first building on campus to provide centralized meeting spaces and community interaction opportunities for all students. Construction on the building is expected to take 14 months, with a grand opening set for fall 2021.
We are now in the second phase of the campaign, opening fundraising opportunities to the public and alumni networks. Our goal is to raise 80% of the funds for the building before breaking ground in the fall of 2020. We will host several events over the next year for potential donors, friends of the college and alumni to learn more about the campaign.
We are blessed to have the support of our Roberts family and Greater Rochester on this endeavor.
Dr. Deana L. Porterfield, President of“We are so grateful to Mr. Golisano for the overwhelming demonstration of support of the work we do. This gift allows us to build a unique campus building and is an encouraging endorsement of our mission to serve the educational needs of the Greater Rochester community and our students.
It’s an exciting time for us at Roberts Wesleyan and we welcome others to be partners with us in the transformational work of education for character."
I am so impressed with the caliber of the young people that are here, their respect for one another, their respect for elders, their desire to be educated.
Thomas Golisano, Founder of Paychex"I am pleased to provide a gift of $7.5 million to establish the new Community Engagement Center at Roberts Wesleyan College. The four institutes that will be housed within the center will provide much-needed training and education to businesses, corporate and community partners, and students.
Our region boasts several wonderful institutions of higher education, but few are located on the west side. The Community Engagement Center will create an opportunity for Roberts to expand its reach by sharing its professional and educational expertise with the broader community."
The Golisano Community Engagement Center is a key component of the college’s five-year strategic plan, established in 2016.
Join us to connect with alumni in your area. We are traveling to 18 cities to share about our campaign.
November 19, 2019
Roberts Wesleyan College is pleased to announce it has received nearly $8.7 million in funding as part of its Connect the Community capital campaign
August 29, 2019
We live-streamed the press conference where we announced the new building. Join the conversation on our Facebook page.
No matter the amount contributed, our community is coming together for the construction of a unique campus building to serve the educational needs of the Greater Rochester community and our students.
