Grove City College launched the largest campaign in the College’s history Friday, May 19, with a goal of raising $185 million for campus improvements and student financial aid.
Impact 150: The Anniversary Campaign for Grove City College began with a ceremony on the steps of Rockwell Hall of Science, the oldest academic building on campus and a major focus of the campaign’s first phase.
The campaign’s name references a defining moment for the Christian liberal arts college as it approaches its 150th anniversary in 2026 and continues its mission of providing an academically excellent and affordable Christ-centered learning and living experience for the next century-and-a-half.
“Our current five-year strategic plan, ‘From Strength to Strength: Timeless Values and Historic Opportunities,’ sets the stage perfectly for today’s historic announcement of this campaign. The momentum we are building carries us from a place of strength toward greater excellence in every aspect of our mission,” College President Paul McNulty ’80 said.
“Through Impact 150: The Anniversary Campaign for Grove City College, we celebrate God’s great goodness to the College and the foundation of faith and freedom we’ve laid over the past 147 years. We also make a historic investment in future generations of students. The success of the campaign will not only help us achieve the goals of our strategic plan in the short term but will also advance our distinctive mission and timeless values well into the future. Today is indeed a milestone day for Grove City College,” McNulty said.
Impact 150 priorities include the renovation of aging but iconic campus facilities, including Rockwell Hall and residence halls, a new field house and training facility, and nearly $50 million for student financial aid. The campaign and construction will take place in three phases to maintain momentum and preserve the campus experience for students during its duration.
“We have known for years of the lasting impact Grove City College has on students’ lives. Now more than ever, we understand just how important our role is in equipping students to make a difference in the world around us. Our work to preserve faith and freedom does not only impact students, but society at large,” said Edward D. Breen ’78, chair of the College’s Board of Trustees.
“I can’t think of a better mission to get behind than the one that guides us every day at the College. The support of our alumni and friends as we begin this campaign is invaluable -- they are making an incredible investment in students and in the College, and also in the future of our nation and our world. Impact 150 is a vision for increasing the profound impact that Grove City College can have,” Breen said.
The first phase of the campaign calls for raising $90 million. The lion’s share of those funds will be used to renovate Rockwell Hall and connect it via a “science in action” corridor to STEM Hall. The project’s $48 million price tag includes the first significant update to the building’s laboratories, classrooms, offices, and common collaborative spaces since Rockwell was dedicated in 1931.
The renovation and new construction will increase Rockwell’s square footage by almost 50 percent, include new electrical and mechanical systems, and turn the nearly 100-year-old flagship campus facility into a 21st century hub for discovery, innovation, and inspiration. Construction is expected to begin this summer.
Preserving Rockwell’s historic look – and iconic tower – is a key priority. The imposing red brick structure is the keystone, along with Harbison Chapel, of the College’s central Quad.
The initial phase also includes $26 million to build a new field house and athletic training facility on lower campus, adjacent to Thorn Field. The 40,000-square-foot facility will provide an enriching environment and showplace for the College’s expanding athletic programs. New locker rooms, training areas, meeting and office spaces, and an outdoor festival plaza will create a space for athletic excellence and community connections.
In addition to those campus improvements, phase one includes a goal of raising $16 million to increase institutional financial aid for students. This is crucial considering the College’s principled stand against accepting any federal financial support, including student loans. Currently, 65% of students receive some form of institutional financial support, most of it need-based.
Phase two, expected to begin in 2026, includes raising $43 million to renovate residence halls and the historic Crawford Hall Auditorium and fund student scholarships.
The final phase’s goal is $32 million to be used to build an athletic and wellness center on Upper Campus, renovate residence halls across campus, and further bolster financial aid.
Throughout the Impact 150 campaign, the College plans to increase restricted and unrestricted giving by $20 million to meet the College’s greatest needs and enhance the student experience.
Impact 150: A Campaign for Grove City College is the most ambitious fundraising effort in the College’s history. Its success is critical to implementing the vision laid out in the 2021 strategic plan to strengthen academic programs, community life, and Christian formation, sustain enrollment, increase financial sustainability, and expand thought leadership.
For more about Impact 150: A Campaign for Grove City College, visit gcc.edu/impact150.