Group of Alumnae Donates $379M to Dartmouth

In one of the largest women-led fundraising efforts ever conducted at an institution of higher learning, 103 female graduates of Dartmouth College have each donated a minimum of $1 million, raising a total of $379 million, the college announced yesterday. The donors committed another $61 million to the college in bequest expectancies.

The funds will be used to support a diverse array of initiatives, including endowed scholarships, professorships, coaching positions, academic programs and capital projects.

Marking the culmination of the seven-year Call to Lead campaign -- conceived and led entirely by alumnae volunteers -- the achievement coincides with the 50th anniversary of coeducation at Dartmouth and highlights the growing clout of female donors.

“Fifty years ago, after the decision was made to admit women, many men expressed concern that women didn’t understand philanthropy and had neither the inclination nor the means to give back,” says Peggy Epstein Tanner, a 1979 graduate and co-chair of the campaign. “But no one should ever doubt the tenacity and power of Dartmouth women. Look how far we’ve come.”