One of the more gratifying statistics at the close of the overachieving Campaign for Colby, which raised $150 million and concluded last winter, was the growth of the College's alumni participation rate. It took an extraordinary effort by the annual giving office, alumni volunteers and, not least of all, alumni donors to achieve 50 percent participation in 1998-99, the first time above 50 percent in Colby's history.

Even better news–it was no flash in the pan. This year (1999-2000) the all-important participation rate edged even higher, to 50.58 percent. The participation rate is watched closely and used to gauge alumni satisfaction with and support for their college. The total raised by the Alumni Fund also was a record, and the fund posted one of its largest-ever one-year gains–13.6 percent. Nearly 40 of the gifts were above $10,000–a dozen more than the previous high for donors in The President's Cabinet category. The ever-growing Parents Fund set a new record, too, raising a total of $502,719.