An anonymous donor has given Ohio’s Kenyon College a $100 million donation, the largest in school history, for the construction of three new residence halls, the liberal arts college announced Tuesday.
The school of about 1,700 students, which requires all students to live on campus, said the donation allows it to continue a focus on a residential college experience despite the disruptions of the coronavirus pandemic.
Kenyon is conducting both online and in-person classes this year, and reduced the on-campus population to allow all students to live in single rooms.
“To receive this record-breaking gift during a pandemic that is still gripping our country and disrupting our academic year speaks volumes about the strength of Kenyon’s future,” school President Sean Decatur said in a statement.
Decatur said the donation will also allow Kenyon, founded in 1824, to renew its efforts to grow the college endowment for scholarships and financial aid.
Kenyon received a $75 million anonymous donation in 2017 allowing it to build a new library and academic quad on the campus in Gambier, about 58 miles northeast of Columbus.
Aside from today's anonymous gift, the college announced it has met the $300 million goal of the Our Path Forward campaign — five months ahead of schedule — thanks to the individual contributions of nearly 18,000 alumni, parents and friends.
The campaign will now continue until June 30, 2024 as Our Path Forward to the Bicentennial, with a new goal of $500 million, including more than $200 million for scholarships and aid.
