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April 13, 2006
 The Kresge Foundation has awarded Morningside College a $750,000 challenge grant in support of the college’s current capital campaign, “This is Our Moment.”
John E. Marshall, III, president and CEO of The Kresge Foundation, said, “In this cycle of grant-making, our trustees were pleased to support a range of organizations reflecting almost the entire breadth of the nonprofit sector. This diverse group is responding to the new challenge presented by their communities or sustaining activities that have demonstrated their effectiveness.”
The challenge provided by the grant is for the college to raise a total of $6 million for the renovation of the Olsen Student Center and the completion of the campus master plan by May 31, 2007. Nearly $3.3 million in pledges or gifts towards this challenge have already been received.
“This is a tremendous moment for Morningside College,” said Morningside President John Reynders. “We are deeply honored to be awarded this grant by The Kresge Foundation. This grant affirms for us that we are positioned to succeed—to become an even stronger institution as we strive to offer our students the best possible educational experience.”
Morningside’s grant is part of The Kresge Foundation’s Capital Challenge Grant Program. Regarding these grants, The Kresge Foundation states: “We invest in organizations that have engaged boards, capable senior staff, loyal donors, and committed volunteers. We believe that a healthy, sustainable nonprofit can deliver the greatest benefit to the community it serves.”
The Olsen Student Center, 3609 Peters Avenue, is a gathering place for community groups, as well as students and alumni. The project calls for the entire main level to be renovated. Work will begin this summer on the center’s Randolph Room, a banquet and meeting room for up to 200 persons. Following that renovation, the main dining hall will be completely remodeled.
“We want to offer the kind of layout, food, and service that today’s students expect, with a wider choice of fresh, healthy foods,” said Reynders.
Phases II and III of the campus master plan have been designed to increase the green space in the center of campus. Parking and a new maintenance building will be constructed at the perimeter of campus; a new softball complex will be constructed in the southeast corner of Bass Field; and lawns and benches will replace pavement.
The Kresge Foundation, founded in 1924 and located in Troy, Mich., is a national foundation with $3 billion in assets. Through its grant making programs, the foundation seeks to strengthen nonprofit organizations by catalyzing their growth, connecting them to their stakeholders, and challenging greater support through grants.
At the time of the March 2006 grant announcements, The Kresge Foundation had awarded a total of 59 grants for a total of $41,990,000. The Foundation will continue to make grants throughout the year.
Morningside’s capital campaign, which was publicly launched in October 2004 and will run through May 2009, has already raised over $26 million in cash and pledges towards its $30 million goal.
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