Be All In
For over 175 years, Beloit College has transformed lives. The Be All In Campaign is our call to support the college for the next 175 years.
Why they are all in
David Eisenberg'77
Economics
Jerry Gustafson and Les McAllister were amazing professors and mentors. They encouraged their students to challenge themselves in economics and to capture the full breadth of a liberal arts education. Importantly, they both also encouraged leadership and engagement with the broader community as well. I still value their lessons today. (The attached photo is from my graduation, with Dr. Gustafson standing to my right.)
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Mary Riley'90
Anthropology
Admissions officer Frank Crivello was my first contact with Beloit College. If he happened to see me walk past Middle College to classes, he’d yell out of his window to flag me down. Then I’d walk over, and we’d chat a bit. That welcoming, supportive gesture was emblematic of my experience at Beloit.
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Bob DiLeonardi'81
English Composition & Psychology
Professor Tom McBride inspired me to appreciate the power of good writing. Thanks to his help I learned to write well, a skill that opened the doors to a variety of interesting opportunities over the years. I still use every day the basic writing and analysis skills I learned from Professor McBride 40 years ago.
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Katelynn Sinclair'20
Anthropology
My friends were incredibly supportive of me for all four years and beyond. I can’t imagine having anyone better in my life. I’m so happy that we’re still gathering and supporting each other, like at Megan Pollpeter Cullison and Alex Cullison’s wedding with Andy Rich, Lydia Travers, and me (all from the Class of 2020).
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Mike Knapton'97
Elementary Education
Professor Tom Warren introduced me to a plethora of educational tools to use inside the classroom to help engage students with all types of learning styles. He taught me that meeting their individual needs in the classroom was essential to effective learning. I have been a special education teacher for over 15 years. The experience and knowledge of the education department helped me with preparing to be a good educator.
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Cam Murray'80
Chemistry
Dr. Phil Straffin’s willingness to block out an afternoon to tutor me on trigonometry allowed me to get into the chemistry program, which led to my career as a polymer chemist.
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Laurence Pimentel'67
Government & English Composition
Dr. Feder inspired a lifelong interest in politics and American political history in me. Since graduating from Beloit in 1967, I have worked with many organizations dedicated to civil rights, public education, health care reform, and separation of church and state. Dr. Feder’s excellent lectures spurred me to read all I could about these issues and get involved!
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G. Robert Brakenridge'75
Geology
Professors Hank Woodard, Dick Stenstrom, and John Burger taught the courses I took and led the field trips. They worked together, they had high expectations, and they helped us live up to them. Then at graduation, when I had the opportunity to thank “The Chief,” Hank told me that it was all my own doing, my own hard work. Not true, but what great words to send a new grad off with!
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Allan Dalcher'70
Psychology
Professor Chad Walsh’s book Nellie and Her Flying Crocodile was one of the first books I ever read. As a freshman in his creative writing class, the topic of children’s books came up, and he said he had no experience in that field. I had to stand up and ask, “What about Nellie?” and he blushed. Never have I witnessed such modesty. He made me a writer.
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Lois More Overbeck'66
English Literature
I had an advanced class with Professor Marion Stocking my freshman year. After graduate school and a few decades of life and family, we met again in her retirement haven in Maine. She also visited my office at Emory University to see the legacy her own teaching, editing experience, and friendship had influenced: The Letters of Samuel Beckett, which I was co-editing for Cambridge University Press.
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Audrey Grettie'99
Anthropology/Art History
Ian Nie, Tamara Hamlish, Nancy Krusko, Jo Ortel, and so many others made my Beloit experience special. I was a naive and sheltered suburban kid when I stepped onto Beloit’s campus in 1994. While I was there, I was introduced to ideas, art, cultures, and people from around the world. I was taught to think critically about world events, the human condition, and ethical issues. It has forever shaped how I move through my life.
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Christina Hildebrandt'89
Modern Languages and Literatures
Professor of Russian Nicholas Paley opened my eyes to what an academic life could be like: working for the Vatican, translating Nahuatl, becoming an expert in an obscure but fascinating area. He also inspired me to want to live an inspiring life so that others find inspiration in me!
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Ian Semple'61
Geology
During the many years of my post-Beloit life, the teachings of Dr. Hank Woodard, “The Chief,” are always remembered not just for the geological knowledge he taught, and the excitement of the learning he imparted, but also more importantly for those aspects of living that are vital to self and those around you, namely diligence, resourcefulness, hard work, teamwork, honesty, and respect for oneself and others in the face of adversity. These are all lessons within, but also well beyond, the boundaries of geology. The Chief has always remained one of my heroes in life.
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Bengisu Erenli Abramsky'93
Economics, Math & Computer Science
Professor Jerry Gustafson’63 not only convinced me to leave Turkey to attend Beloit, he helped me gain early admission to the University of Chicago’s MBA program and connected me to a corporate job — all before I even graduated.
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Renee Murray'80
Spanish
Professor Milt Feder’s willingness to let his international studies students debate even the most controversial topics led to my “aha” moment and a life of social activism through writing.
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Are you All In for Beloit?
Did becoming a Beloiter change your life?
Did you find your path, your soulmate, your direction, your purpose by being a Beloiter?
Was there one professor, advisor, or alum who went out of their way to see you succeed, or engage you in a transformative conversation you remember to this day?
Do you want to see Beloit thrive?
Then we invite you to Be All In for Beloit College right now.
Why now?
Over the past few years, Beloit has taken the bold step of strengthening its financial position while facing increasing competition for students and highly qualified professors.
The College paid down most of its debt and its leadership drafted the Beloit Action Plan, aimed at making the highly individualized education that sets Beloit apart even more relevant in today’s fast-changing world.
Beloit is now offering more intense student mentoring, a powerful program connecting college to careers, and bigger financial aid packages to help students and their families keep pace with today’s cost of higher education.
The Be All In Campaign
In February 2020, Beloit publicly launched its extraordinary fundraising campaign: Be All In to raise $54 million in unrestricted support over the next five years.
The response from alumni and friends, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, has been extraordinary, indeed.
Your gifts to the campaign allow our students opportunities that will serve them for the rest of their lives—just like your Beloit experiences have served you.
What’s Included in the Be All In Campaign?
With your investment, Beloit will be here another 175 years.
The changes are paying off
The college has devised a strong five-year financial plan to address the headwinds. Enrollment growth will take several years, so in the meantime, we are asking our alumni and friends to join us in building the runway on which to taxi, until our numbers and net tuition revenue bounce back.
The great news? The plan is already working.
- We’ve received extensive national attention for our COVID response and success, and our happy and participatory students: we are a success story and still the same adventurous, resilient community as always
- Our retention rates have averaged 98% in the past two years, a sign of huge student satisfaction
- We were ranked #5 Most Innovative Colleges by USNews.
- Giving and engagement are growing.
But there is more to be done. For Beloit to fully implement its Action Plan, it must cover existing financial gaps until enrollment and net tuition revenue fully rebound.
We want the best and brightest to have access to the experiences that only Beloit provides. Today, more than 99 percent of Beloiters receive financial aid—nearly $30 million annually. This support is provided through the generosity of the college’s alumni, parents, and friends: Beloiters supporting Beloiters.
Beloit is the oldest continuously operating private college in Wisconsin and, with your investment, we will be here for the next 175 years.
We invite you to join us with your gift for this extraordinary campaign and Be All In for Beloit College.