CMS Launches its First Fundraising Campaign — CMS Beyond Fifty!
Kathleen Lamkin
During the 50th anniversary celebrations of The College Music Society, several major new initiatives have been put into place with one of the most important and crucial initiatives being the launching of the 50th Anniversary Campaign, the first fundraising campaign in the history of the Society! The time is right to launch this campaign as we celebrate our past and look to the future envisioning where CMS can best lead in the years ahead; therefore the title of this campaign – CMS Beyond 50. The College Music Society has reached an age of maturity with a record of providing exceptional leadership to the profession of music in higher education, serving for half a century through its information services, professional activities, career services and engagement and outreach. Our organization has led in the unique position as the only society devoted to the interconnections of all music disciplines, as the only forum where musicians throughout North America and the world can connect with colleagues equally passionate about collaborations in promoting “teaching and learning, musical creativity and expression, research and dialogue and diversity and interdisciplinary connections”, as stated in our mission.
The history of raising funds for worthy CMS projects began in 1998. A few weeks before the national conference in Puerto Rico that year, a hurricane of tremendous proportions devastated the country. The designated conference site was no longer able to accommodate the conference and the executive office staff and program committee were forced to find an alternative site in the country or cancel the meeting. Eventually another conference venue was found and the meeting was held, but the extent of the damage prompted President Nohema Fernández and the board of directors to establish a charitable fund as a means of assisting the people of Puerto Rico. Monies collected were contributed to rebuilding efforts, especially schools and music programs. It was six years later in 2004 that the CMS Fund was officially established with its mission to enhance “American life through support of exemplary and innovative projects of the Society’s members that bring to the wider public the accomplishments of the music profession and higher education”. The 50th Anniversary Campaign, launched in November 2007, is the first general campaign to raise endowment for the work of the Society as a whole, focusing on exemplary engagement and outreach projects.
To lead the CMS Beyond 50 Campaign a committee was established with David Woods, an accomplished university administrator and fundraiser, selected to serve as chair. Robert Werner, President of the CMS Fund, and David Woods, Chair of the Anniversary Campaign Committee, announced the launching of the campaign at the 50th anniversary banquet in Salt Lake City as part of the 50th National Conference activities last November. To create even further excitement and momentum for the campaign, Tayloe Harding, Past President and Member of the Anniversary Campaign Committee, recognized Robby Gunstream and announced the “Robby D. Gunstream Education in Music Award” in honor of Mr. Gunstream’s twenty-five years as Executive Director of the Society. Contributions for this first College Music Society named award came from generous gifts of present and past officers and board members, current CMS Fund board members and staff from the national executive office. The establishment of this endowed award for furthering the goals of the Society is the first project to kick off the CMS Beyond 50 campaign. Our hope is that this will be only the first of several named awards and scholarships established during the campaign. Fundraising will encompass those areas of engagement and outreach where CMS is currently focusing – community engagement, music in general studies and undergraduate and graduate education - but is not limited to these areas.
Please read closely the campaign materials in this newsletter about the CMS Beyond 50 anniversary campaign and consider how you can make a difference through your contributions. Further information about the campaign is located on The College Music Society website. You will also be receiving materials via email and regular mail concerning the various opportunities for which you can donate to the campaign. This is the time to move forward the work of the Society and to create and support projects for engaging those inside and outside of the academy in an effort to enhance music in American life. With appropriate financial resources the creative ideas and goals set in place today can help foster a rich future for music in higher education and in our communities. I hope you will enthusiastically support the work of the Society through the campaign with your generous gifts!