Deeply Rooted, Future Focused: The Campaign for Potsdam

Helping students thrive from their first days on campus through Commencement. 

Every student’s path through college is different. We are strengthening the resources, opportunities and support that help students find their place at Potsdam, reach their potential and prepare for what comes next. 

Scholarships 

Expanding need- and merit-based scholarships to attract talented students, make a Potsdam education more accessible and help students stay on track to graduation. 

Academics 

Strengthening academic departments and programs, supporting innovation and expanding opportunities in fields that prepare students for a changing workforce. 

Student Care and Services 

Enhancing the services and resources that address students’ physical, emotional and educational needs, helping them navigate challenges and succeed in and beyond the classroom. 

Through the President’s Student Success Initiative, we are building an integrated model of support that begins before a student’s first semester and continues through graduation. Through an enhanced first-year experience, expanded professional academic and career advising, and structured academic support, we are helping students make a strong start, navigate challenges and build a foundation for success. 

When we invest in student success, we change life trajectories. 

Expanding the experiences that enrich learning and life beyond the classroom. 

We are expanding opportunities for students to put their knowledge into practice, explore new interests and connect with the world around them. These experiences complement classroom learning, build confidence and prepare students to lead, innovate and contribute to their communities. 

Applied Learning 

Expanding access to internships, research, study abroad, leadership development and other hands-on learning opportunities that connect classroom knowledge with real-world experience. These experiences help students discover their strengths, develop practical skills and prepare for their futures. 

Community Connections 

Creating opportunities that bring people together through shared experiences, ideas and creativity. From visiting scholars and artists to alumni and regional partnerships, campus events and community programming, these experiences strengthen connections among students, the College and the broader community, enriching campus life and extending Potsdam’s impact beyond campus.

Giving Potsdam the resources to respond to emerging needs and opportunities. 

The strongest institutions are those prepared to respond to change, seize opportunities and plan for the future. Flexible philanthropic support gives Potsdam the ability to address evolving needs, strengthen priorities and sustain excellence across the College. 

The Fund for Potsdam 

Annual gifts to the Fund for Potsdam provide the flexibility to address immediate needs and emerging opportunities across campus. This support allows the College to respond where resources can make a meaningful difference for students, faculty and the broader Potsdam community. 

The Potsdam Promise 

As the College’s only endowed fund with flexible spending, the Potsdam Promise provides long-term support for presidential priorities and strategic initiatives. These gifts help Potsdam respond to changing needs while building a strong foundation for the future. 

Flexible giving reflects a profound trust in Potsdam’s leadership and vision, empowering the College to respond to emerging needs and pursue new opportunities. The College is honored to celebrate this generosity through campus naming opportunities, creating lasting tributes to donors whose confidence in Potsdam helps advance its priorities and enrich the experiences of future generations. 

Creating lasting support for students, programs and the College for generations to come. 

A strong future depends on the foundation we build today. Endowed gifts provide lasting support for the people, programs and opportunities that make Potsdam distinctive, helping sustain the College’s strength and excellence for generations of students. 

Endowing Student Opportunities 

Endowed funds provide ongoing support for scholarships, academic programs, applied learning and other opportunities that shape the student experience. By establishing or contributing to an endowed fund, donors can help ensure that the opportunities and programs they value remain part of a Potsdam education for generations to come. 

Creating a Lasting Legacy 

A legacy gift is a meaningful way to invest in Potsdam’s future. Through endowed gifts and planned giving, donors can extend their impact beyond their lifetimes, supporting the students, faculty, programs and priorities that matter most to them. Together, these gifts strengthen the College’s financial foundation and help secure its future.