Fox Center for Academic Opportunity Receives Leadership Gift of $1 Million Endowment
St. Lawrence University, through The Campaign for Every Laurentian, is pleased to announce an extremely generous commitment of $1 million by Trustee Joan Corey ’74 and her husband, Richard “Dick” Corey, to the newly designated Fox Center for Academic Opportunity. This significant tribute to President Fox brings the total amount of support for the Center to more than $4 million.
“I have known Bill Fox since our time together at St. Lawrence as students,” said Joan Corey. “Dick and I are so excited to make this commitment to honor his dedication to help every student reach their aspirations and to increase our support for The Campaign for Every Laurentian.”
The Fox Center for Academic Opportunity will sponsor key programs throughout the academic journey of all St. Lawrence students. Programs include Academic Advising, the Sophomore Success Initiative, Career Connections, the First-Year Program (FYP), Student Accessibility Services, the Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP), the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP), and the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program.
“Lynn and I have immense admiration for our cherished friends Joan and Dick. They absolutely believe in St. Lawrence and what our ultimate purpose is in getting the next generation ready. They have made, once again, an enduring commitment to the University, one that will leave an indelible mark on the lives of grateful Laurentians,” said President William L. Fox ’75.
The Fox Center for Academic Opportunity, located in the recently renovated Madill Hall, is an inviting, technologically advanced space located at the campus intersection of the student center, academic spaces, and several residence halls. Within the building, various academic advising and support offices are located alongside one another, as well as testing and study rooms, accompanied by several collaborative spaces, which has created a support ‘hub’ in an ideal location for student convenience. The recent capital renovations to centralize these vital programs were made possible by major gifts as part of The Campaign for Every Laurentian.
Joan Corey graduated with a degree in Sociology, remains actively connected to Delta Delta Delta alumnae, and continues her involvement as a volunteer in the Saints Network. Since 2013, when she was elected to the Board of Trustees, Joan has had leadership roles on the University Advancement Committee and Committee on Trustees. Her campus philanthropy includes Kirk Douglas Hall, the St. Lawrence Fund, and in 2016, the establishment of the Joan Darrow Corey ’74 and Richard G. Corey Expendable Travel Fund.
The Fox Center for Academic Opportunity fund is a culminating part of The Campaign for Every Laurentian, the largest comprehensive fundraising initiative in the 165-year history of St. Lawrence University. With a fundraising goal of $225 million, the Campaign supports four priorities: Endowing Our Future, Learning for the 21st Century, the Power of Connections, and Campus Stewardship, as well as continued support for the St. Lawrence Fund. The Campaign, which concludes in June, has achieved, so far, $221 million in gifts and commitments.