Monmouth College has surpassed a major milestone several in its Light This Candle Campaign. The fundraising campaign has a goal of raising $75 million before the end of 2022 and with about 8½ months to go, the school exceeded that figure. "We are quite pleased that we have exceeded our $75 million goal well before our Dec. 31, 2022, completion date of the Campaign," said William Goldsborough '65, national Campaign chair. "This success reflects very favorably on the Monmouth College community and its strong sense of engagement and commitment." Launched in March 2019, the Light This Candle Campaign has four objectives: increasing scholarships and student financial aid; creating more opportunities for faculty and staff support and academic innovation; enhancing the College's living-learning environment by increasing funds for facilities; and building an even stronger culture of philanthropy through a larger annual fund and deferred gift register. Monmouth President Clarence Wyatt said that exceeding the Campaign's goal so far ahead of schedule is an extraordinary achievement. "The Campaign's exceeding its $75 million goal 8½ months early is an extraordinary achievement and worthy of celebration for many reasons," Wyatt said. "First, it is a testament to the leadership of Campaign Chair Bill Goldsborough and Board Chair Mark Kopinski '79, and the hard work of Vice President for Development Hannah Maher and the entire alumni/development staff." "Also, this achievement is inspired by the vision, ambition, and generosity of the College's trustees, faculty and staff, alumni, parents, and friends." Most important, Wyatt says, "we celebrate this accomplishment because it strengthens Monmouth College's ability to do what it has done for generations -- to change for the better the arc of young people's lives." Of the $75.4 million raised thus far through the Light This Candle Campaign, $56.5 million has come through current gifts and $18.9 million has come in the form of deferred gifts. Vice President for Development Hannah Maher said that a chief reason the Campaign has exceeded its goal early is because of a combination of a deeply committed base of donors and a strong team of development officers. "It has been a pleasure to work with an outstanding development team and our generous donors, both who are striving to see a stronger future for Monmouth College," Maher said. "The vision of the Light This Candle Campaign has been to pass along to those who will follow us at a college that is even more of an institution of high opportunity and high achievement. Having exceeded our Campaign goal well before our completion date is a strong signal of how important this shared goal truly is. I look forward to what is still to come for Monmouth through our Campaign close at the end of 2022." Wyatt said that as the Campaign enters its stretch run "it will continue to achieve even more for the College and its mission."