Be a Bennington Champion
by Laura Walker
“The largest life lesson I got from attending Bennington was the sense of possibility,” said Brian Rogers ’95, cofounder of The Chocolate Factory Theater, an innovative space built by and for artists, in Long Island City. He can’t imagine making a career as innovative as his “had it not been for the Bennington experience.” (Read more on page 28.) So many of you echo that sentiment. Today, I am writing to ask you to translate those feelings into support for Bennington.
Bennington is needed in this world more than ever. But we need your support as we navigate extraordinary challenges. I invite you to join me in taking action. Email institutionaladvancement@bennington.edu or visit bennington.edu/give to make a gift or pledge in support of Bennington today.
Bennington is at a critical inflection point. Like many small liberal arts colleges—arts-centered ones, in particular— Bennington faces strong headwinds. I want to share our strengths, our challenges, the vital work we are doing to ensure a long and vibrant future, and the ways you can help.
In many ways, Bennington College has never been stronger. Amid threats to democracy, increasing polarization, and marginalization of the arts, students and their families recognize that our unmatched educational model is as relevant as ever. Bennington’s enrollment is at an all-time high, applications have doubled in the last three years, and our most recent class is the most diverse and academically accomplished in our history.
The Princeton Review ranked Bennington #3 in the nation for college theater, and we rank in the top ten nationwide for innovation and classroom experience. Recent graduates are going to top graduate schools, running for political office, writing novels, and creating works of art, performance, and scientific research. This summer, Bennington Writing Seminars students flocked to campus for their residency as the program celebrated its 30th anniversary. Alumni from every discipline are doing crucial work to improve our world.
We are launching innovative programs to address the needs of the moment. Working from the success we have experienced with Beyond Plastics, this fall we launched a new online class, Saving Democracy Together, for students of all ages from across the country and around the world.
At the same time, we are facing some of the most unfavorable circumstances in our history. More than thirty colleges closed last year, and in recent months, both Goddard College and University of the Arts joined the ranks of small colleges that shut their doors. Factors outside our control—a declining and changing student body, a steady drumbeat of criticism from politicians who question the importance of a highly educated citizenry, and a fumbled rollout of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, to name a few—have delayed students’ commitments and led to smaller incoming classes nationwide.
With rising inflation, expenses have increased, particularly for scholarships for our talented students. Academic, mental health, and social support are more costly than ever. Moreover, Bennington’s model—with its combination of small classes, individualized student-driven plans, Field Work Term, and graduate-style advising—has always been more expensive than the “fill the lecture hall” style of education offered by many other institutions. And our beautiful expansive campus, one of our most cherished assets, requires significantly more funds for upkeep.
Continuing our nearly 100-year history as a vanguard in higher education requires bold action and innovation. We have a plan. Our 5-year strategic plan and corresponding yearly goals include strengthening the financial sustainability of the College and providing scholarship support for students; energizing Bennington’s distinctive educational approach through support of the faculty, curriculum, and the Bennington Plan; bolstering the student experience from beginning to end; continuing support for community and diversity, equity, and inclusion; expanding programs through new interdisciplinary certificates and degrees; and investing in capital improvements that support the work of students and faculty, preserve the beauty of the campus, and accommodate new initiatives.
As hard as we are working, we cannot do it without you. We know that Bennington’s alumni are passionate about the education they received here, yet the percentage of alumni who made a gift last year is half of what it is at our peer institutions. We can do better. We must secure vital annual support and grow Bennington’s endowment. We ask you today to become a Bennington champion and to contribute to a stronger and more robust future for Bennington.
Please donate. Whether you can give $5 or $5 million, your gift is a vote of support for Bennington. Choose to support Scholarships and Financial Aid, Campus Renewal, Field Work Term, or Faculty and Curricular Support. Funds raised are a part of a comprehensive effort to grow support and increase Bennington’s endowment. Email institutionaladvancement@bennington.edu or visit bennington.edu/give to make a donation. Your support will help see us through the upcoming challenges and continue providing extraordinary educational opportunities into our centennial and for generations of Bennington students to come. Thank you in advance for your consideration and commitment to the students of today and to our collective future.