We ♥ Messiah is more than a slogan! It represents a deep affection our alumni feel for their experiences at Messiah College. We often hear how much their time at Messiah meant and how profoundly it impacted their spiritual and intellectual development. We hear the friendships they made at Messiah remain some of the most meaningful relationships in their lives and many have been sustained long past their Messiah days. We hear how much they care that Messiah remains true to its Christian roots and firm in its theological traditions. We know how much they love Messiah because they tell us.

The We ♥ Messiah appeal echoes alumni sentiments about their Messiah experience.  Understanding the life-changing opportunities a Messiah education offers, two generous alumni, Steve Rice ’80 and Todd Witmer ’91, graciously offered a challenge gift of $20,000. They and the College challenged 500 alumni to renew their annual financial support by June 30.  In turn, their $20,000 challenge gift would be given to the Messiah Annual Fund, which supports student scholarship aid.  Although a lofty goal for a short appeal, our alumni enthusiastically accepted the challenge and not only achieved the goal, but exceeded it with a final count of 520 new* alumni donors!

We are beyond grateful for the love alumni showed their alma mater by supporting Messiah College during the last days of our fiscal year. Their gifts continue our ongoing tradition of providing scholarship aid for students and making it possible for us to offer a high quality Christian education to students who may otherwise not have the means to afford it. Part of the legacy of Messiah College is our alumni, employees, parents and friends who have sacrificially given financial support from the first days of Messiah through today. Without the investment of these people, Messiah would not be the College our alums have grown to love.  We ♥ our Alumni and their commitment to continue the traditions of their alma mater!

*refers to those who have not given July 1, 2013 – June 30, 2014

Alumna Shelly Tolo plans Pennsylvania Governor’s Inauguration Ball

After graduating from Messiah, Shelly (Johnston) Tolo ’90 followed her heart through various career paths that brought her into the world of event planning, eventually landing her an award-winning company, TOLO Events. In the last four years, her company has won six Emerald City Applause Awards for various aspects of event planning including best nonprofit event, production, design/décor and logistics. What was Tolo’s latest big assignment? Plan Pennsylvania Governor-elect Tom Corbett’s Inaugural Ball.

Planning the Ball
On January 18, over 4,000 guests gathered at the State Farm Show Complex for an evening of musical entertainment, dancing and sampling regional specialties from the Commonwealth in celebration of Governor Corbett’s inauguration. Prior to the event, Tolo’s job was to plan the perfect evening in only two months. By  “having Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s holidays all wrapped into that time frame, we had to be really strategic in the planning,” she said.  (more…)

On May 12 Messiah College publicly launched its Centennial Campaign—a $40 million fundraising effort to construct the Calvin and Janet High Center for Worship and Performing Arts and to raise funds for student-focused initiatives and scholarship endowments.

At a dinner and program with trustees and community friends of the college, Messiah President Kim Phipps announced that the College has raised more than $30.7 million towards the campaign’s $40 million goal.

“I believe that there is no better time in our history, and no better way to honor the courage and vision of our founders, than through the initiation and successful completion of the Centennial Campaign,” said Phipps. “This comprehensive, $40 million fundraising initiative, inaugurated during Messiah’s Centennial year, will enable the College to fulfill a long-awaited dream and promise of a new worship and performing arts center.”

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