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Realizing the Vision
Our vision for Goucher College is bold, expansive, and genuinely innovative. It includes many novel elements and reflects highly imaginative new thinking about the possibilities for liberal arts education in the future.
At the same time, it represents a natural progression from the directions and traditions Goucher has established and explored in the past. It bears the imprint not only of the broad and diverse group of people who contributed to its development over the past few years, but also of Goucher’s founders, its distinguished alumnae/i body, and all of the extraordinary people- faculty, staff, trustees, supporters, and friends-who have shaped and guided the college’s growth and progress throughout its history.
John Franklin and Mary Fisher Goucher understood the vast transformative power of higher education. They knew that colleges change not only the lives of the students who attend them, but also the world beyond their gates as those students begin to put their learning into action.
The Gouchers founded this college in 1885 to share that power with the women of the city of Baltimore. They traveled the world to found and support similar institutions in China, India, Korea, and Japan. They passed on to students the world over their passion for education and the intense desire that came with it to reach out, to share what they knew, and to use it to improve the lives of all people. The scope of their educational vision extended far beyond the boundaries of the college that bears their name.
Now, as we approach Goucher College’s 125th anniversary, we find this institution at a pivotal stage in its growth, evolution, and history. In many ways, we have surpassed John and Mary Goucher’s original vision for the college, through innovations and achievements that they could not have imagined in their lifetimes. In other ways, we are just now beginning to realize some of the boundless possibilities that such an expansive vision presents.
Goucher College has always been tremendously successful at teaching its students to think for themselves and act for the good of the people and communities around them. Now we seek to broaden the sphere of influence in which they do so. We seek to expand the Goucher College community, to transcend its boundaries, to carve out a unique space in the higher education landscape that reflects the distinction Goucher has enjoyed in the past and strives to enhance today. We seek to attract the best and brightest students and transform them into true citizens of the world, embodying and communicating the values and ideals of this institution far beyond our campus, just as John and Mary Goucher did more than 100 years ago.
Realizing our vision will require a great deal of support from all who share it. Over time, there will be many ways in which you can help. We will soon launch a major capital campaign in support of our objectives, and we hope you will consider supporting our efforts financially. The contributions of our alumnae/i and friends in this regard will be particularly important. Approximately one-quarter of our operating funds comes from philanthropy, in the form of both new gifts and income generated from our endowment. The care and conservatism with which we have managed our finances over the years has been a source of great institutional strength, and because of it we are in a very good position to attain our goals, even in the uncertain economic climate we now face. But we will need to supplement our current financial resources in order to make our vision a reality.
The economic conditions under which we are launching this plan are unquestionably harsh. The college faces funding cuts from most government sources, local, state, and federal. We cannot increase the cost of a Goucher education for students and their families, and we will not take on a debt burden that threatens the financial strength we have worked so hard to develop. Nevertheless, we believe unequivocally that the time is right to press ahead with our efforts. Our students need the kind of preparation we can provide to engage and improve the world they will inherit. Our world needs the kind of thoughtful, capable, active, and responsible citizens we send forth as graduates. We hope we can count on your support as we continue to develop, strengthen, and transform the educational resources we bring to bear in meeting these very important needs.
Most important, we hope you will support us through your participation in the life of Goucher College-in the new academic opportunities we will offer; in the events, programs, and athletic competitions that will take place here; and in the continual sharing of knowledge, understanding, and perspectives that take place at Goucher College every day.