Rensselaer Magazine, June 2002: Making a Difference

Surprising Support!

In January of last year, Elbert Childs made Rensselaer an offer. He would contribute $50,000 if another individual matched his gift. What was most extraordinary about his gesture was the fact that Elbert Childs never attended Rensselaer.

“I was intrigued by President Shirley Ann Jackson’s efforts to advance Rensselaer,” Childs says. “I felt that the best way for me to support those efforts was through a challenge to alumni and friends of the university.”

Elbert Childs was accepted to Rensselaer in 1929, but chose to go to Yale. A native of Spencerport, N.Y., Childs taught chemistry and math at Chapman High School in New London, Conn., and had at least one student go on to attend Rensselaer. He later served as staff engineer at Mobil Oil Company and retired from that position in 1972. A dedicated professional, Childs has been a member of the American Chemical Society for more than 60 years.

Rising to Childs’ challenge was a former Mobil Oil Company executive (and dedicated Rensselaer supporter), Robert O. Swanson ’58. “Mr. Childs’ challenge encouraged me to double my gift to the Rensselaer Annual Fund, and therefore enhance support for Rensselaer’s students. In addition, it allowed me to honor his successful career at Mobil Oil,” Swanson says.

In order to have the greatest impact on Rensselaer students, the resulting $100,000 would provide unrestricted support through the Rensselaer Annual Fund, which supports the experience and success of Rensselaer students—through student activities, research and innovation, scholarship, and entrepreneurship. The Annual Fund helps to bridge the yearly gap between tuition and the full cost of a high-quality technological education. For more information, contact Lisa McGrath ’89, director of annual giving, at mcgrath@ rpi.edu or (518) 276-2737.

Twins Dick and Bob Werner ’52 at their 40th reunion.

Reunion Reflections

In this, their 50th Reunion year, the Class of 1952 has been doing a good bit of reflecting—on their Rensselaer experience, and on how they can benefit future generations of students. However, the members of the class, led by Reunion Gift Committee Co-Chairs Jack Feininger ’52 and Al Krause ’52, did not stop there. They set an ambitious goal for their 50th Reunion fund-raising campaign of $1.5 million in gifts and pledges, a goal designed to have the greatest impact on the future of Rensselaer and its students.

According to Feininger, “RPI gave me the breadth and knowledge (both in engineering and in business) to learn how to solve problems, which in turn equipped me well in business and in my personal life. I am so proud to be a graduate of this great educational institution.” He and his wife, Marilyn, feel that they “should give back so our colleges can continue to provide the same high-quality education we received.”

Krause has spoken with and corresponded with numerous individuals in the Class of 1952 in the course of the Reunion gift campaign. While motivations for giving vary, there are some common themes—to commemorate the 50 years since graduation, to give something back to the institution that contributed to their success in life, and finally, to do something profound for society. In his view, Rensselaer distinguishes itself for its comprehensive view of a technological education.

“The future of this country rests in today’s and tomorrow’s students. In this complex world, we need people who not only have a body of knowledge, but also an understanding of the ethical and moral aspects of technology and science,” says Krause.
The class has exceeded their goal, raising more than $1.5 million in gifts and pledges (including planned gifts) to support a diverse array of programs and initiatives at Rensselaer—the Rensselaer Annual Fund, the O.T. Swanson Multidisciplinary Design Laboratory, the Chapel & Cultural Center, Rensselaer libraries, scholarships, and the Rensselaer endowment, as well as individual schools and departments.

A signature feature of this effort was a commitment to the Rensselaer Annual Fund. The co-chairs established a guideline of securing 10 percent of each gift as a commitment to the Rensselaer Annual Fund. They used this strategy to maximize the impact of the campaign by providing unrestricted annual support to the university.

The Class of 1952 reflected back to their student experiences and designed a campaign that would have the maximum benefit for today’s students. To learn more about gift opportunities at Rensselaer, visit AlumServ at www.alumni.rpi.edu or contact Stu Stabley, director of development, at (518) 276-8215 or stabls@rpi.edu.

Rensselaer Magazine: June 2002
President's View	Your Mail	From the Archives	Hawk Talk	Class Notes Features

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In Memoriam	Making a Difference	Staying Connected

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