Overall Support of Bowdoin

Overall support to Bowdoin is the combination of annual gifts used for current programs and capital gifts designated for endowment, special program needs, or building projects. Gifts to the endowment are a legacy for future generations of Bowdoin students, while gifts to special programs and building projects meet the constantly changing academic, athletic, artistic, residential life and technological needs of students and faculty.

Teaching and Learning

Bowdoin students represent a variety of backgrounds, and they are talented, eager to learn, and determined to contribute. As a residential liberal arts college, our student life and academic programs offer a comprehensive experience, with opportunities to strengthen educational excellence as well as leadership skills, and to learn the value of serving the common good. From student/faculty research and study-away programs to leading a trip on Mount Katahdin, Bowdoin inspires its students to develop life-long passions.

New Construction and Facility Projects

Bowdoin is committed to preserving the integrity of our historic campus while meeting the evolving needs of students and faculty. Projects such as the renovation of the Chapel towers and the Art Museum, and the construction of Kanbar Hall, the concert hall, and the hockey arena honor our heritage while supporting academic traditions and enhancing student life.

Annual Giving

Annual gifts to the College are the foundation of support. A gift to one of Bowdoin’s Annual Funds is a living legacy- an investment in the education of extraordinary students and the remarkable faculty on campus today. Bowdoin relies on unrestricted gifts to the Annual Funds to balance its budget and support expenditures in the current fiscal year.
Learn more about our funds.

Strengthening the Endowment

Financial Aid Endowment

Bowdoin’s strong financial aid endowment enables us to enroll students from all socio-economic backgrounds who have the intellect, energy, and character to fully benefit from our distinctive educational opportunities. Very few colleges have the resources to maintain a commitment to both need-blind admissions and to meeting the financial aid needs of admitted students. Bowdoin is dedicated to this model, and building financial aid endowment is essential to its success.

Academic Program Endowment

The intellectual life of the College and the academic growth of students are sustained and fostered by our dedicated faculty. Our tradition of putting teaching first is a hallmark of a Bowdoin education.

Bowdoin faculty inspire, influence, and transform students because they themselves are at the forefront of their chosen fields. To attract and retain outstanding teacher/scholars in today’s competitive market, we must invest substantial new funds to create opportunities for our faculty to advance their creativity, research, and teaching skills.

Last Updated: November 2005