Trustees and Friends Honor Sally Patton with $872,000 Endowment Gift

Fitting capstone to 30 years of distinguished service as Wooster's development chief

WOOSTER, Ohio, June 30, 2011 – Sara L. (“Sally”) Patton has dedicated her professional life to the support and stewardship of The College of Wooster’s mission, raising hundreds of millions of dollars for her alma mater as vice president for development. As she prepares to step down today after more than 30 years of service, the college’s trustees, long-time friends, and colleagues have come together to honor her in a most appropriate way: with a gift of almost $872,000 to the Sara L. Patton Performing Arts Scholarship and Activities Fund.

The endowed fund, established in 2007 by Richard J. Bell and David H. Schwartz, both members of the college’s class of 1963, honors both Patton’s service to the college and her abiding love for the theatre. The scholarship portion of the fund—some 80 percent of the total—is awarded annually to students with financial need who participate in theatre or dance. The remaining 20 percent is used to support special opportunities in theatre that may be beyond the reach of normal operating budgets.

“Sally Patton embodies all that is good about The College of Wooster: intelligence, loyalty to our core mission of liberal education, and a kind of graceful sophistication that manifests the best of who we are and what we do,” said Grant Cornwell, the college’s president. “Sally’s good work can be seen in every program and every building on campus. Wooster would not be what it is today were it not for her efforts.”

When Patton graduated from The College of Wooster in 1967 with a bachelor’s degree in English and speech, she had no thought of returning to campus for anything more serious than the occasional class reunion. She earned a master’s degree in English as a second language from the University of Illinois, but when a teaching position in Boston fell through at the last moment, Buck Smith, then Wooster’s vice president for development, offered her a job as a development officer. In 1977, Smith left to become president of Chapman College, and in 1979 Patton was named to replace him.

Thus began a career of service to Wooster that saw Patton lead three comprehensive campaigns, each more ambitious than the last, which raised more than $250 million. In all, the college’s development office has raised nearly a half billion dollars during her tenure as vice president.

“My work for Wooster has been a great joy and privilege,” Patton said. “I am honored by this wonderfully generous gift because I know it was inspired by the donors’ devotion to the college and to our students.”

The College of Wooster is an independent liberal arts college, nationally recognized for excellence in teaching and a curriculum built around mentored undergraduate research. Every Wooster senior works one-on-one with a faculty adviser to create an original research project, written work, performance or art exhibit. Founded in 1866, the college enrolls approximately 2,000 students.