Columbia College announced success in reaching $1 million in contributions
to secure a $500,000 challenge grant offered by the Reeves Foundation.
The funds will be used to create the J.E. Reeves Endowed Chair in Leadership Studies.

Mr. J. “Ed” Reeves Jr. expressed his support for securing an endowed chair to achieve specific goals for the College:

• Continue to develop Columbia College as a national model for students who are being provided with leadership development, particularly on women’s issues with a bent for action and change in our society and the world.
• Oversee the integration of the Courage, Commitment, Confidence and Competence (known as The 4C’s) model of leadership development.
• Further develop the College’s leadership semester program, in which students plan and execute a capstone leadership project.
• Work with the campus community to oversee collaborative efforts between activities and academics.

Columbia College President Caroline Whitson said, “We at the College are pleased that Mr. Reeves shares our excitement about the ways the 4Cs model for leadership development helps students connect the power of the liberal arts to the world around them. The model facilitates the transfer of knowledge from the classroom to the global community. This endowment will assure that generations of students will experience this transformation.”

“We are very proud to have met this challenge in a relatively short time period with the support of many donors. Inspired by the generosity of the Reeves family, our alumnae, friends and trustees have rallied to bring an exciting opportunity to Columbia College,” said Thad Henry, Special Assistant to the President for Research Development.

Known as The Reeves Challenge, the fundraising initiative was part of the ongoing Imagine Campaign, the College’s campaign to raise $25 million to support facility improvements and programs. “As we close in on our larger goal, this was an opportunity we had to seize. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make it possible,” added Henry.