The Parents Fund

The Parents Fund is an important part of Emerson’s future. The fund represents Annual Fund gifts from parents that support academic initiatives, attract quality professors to Emerson, and finance the greatest needs of the College to improve students’ educational experience.

Parent participation is a key point in securing foundation grants and other outside support for the college. When you give to the Parents Fund, you demonstrate your support for the College and help increase the rate of participation in the Annual Fund. A high participation rate helps position Emerson to receive government, corporate and foundation support. In addition, because a strong Annual Fund is seen as an indicator of alumni and parent satisfaction, a high participation rate improves Emerson's standing when rated against other top schools.

Because tuition revenues cover only 70% of the College’s operating budget, private donations are essential to maintaining Emerson’s place among the upper echelon of U.S. colleges.

To maintain the level of excellence we have achieved, we need our current donors to maintain and hopefully increase their annual gifts and 150 new parent donors to rise to the challenge. To make your gift today, make checks payable to:

Emerson College Annual Fund
120 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02116

Endowment
Emerson’s endowment currently stands at approximately $87 million, which is significantly smaller than the endowments of most other school’s of Emerson’s size and stature. Emerson’s endowment must grow substantially in the next decade to secure the long-term future of the College. A gift to the Endowment is a permanent gift and a lasting legacy.

Scholarships
The past few years have seen applications for undergraduate admission dramatically increase which has allowed the College to be more selective than ever. But such selectivity is only meaningful when Emerson can offer competitive scholarships and financial aid packages. Emerson currently expends $13.8 million per year on scholarships and financial aid, only a small percentage of which is derived from the endowment and charitable donations.  A gift of $25,000 establishes a permanent named scholarship fund. There are also many opportunities to contribute to preexisting scholarship funds with gifts of all sizes.

The New Campus
Major initiatives completed to create Emerson’s new Campus on the Common include:

• construction of the 11-level Tufte Performance and Production Center
• restoration of the Emerson Majestic Theatre for the School of the Arts.
• opening of a new home for the Departments of Journalism and Marketing Communication in the Walker Building.
• construction of the Piano Row Residence Hall and Max Mutchnick Campus Center at 150 Boylston Street, which opened in September 2006. The facility includes a gymnasium, and provides a central meeting place for the entire Emerson community.

These projects provide a number of unique named-gift opportunities.