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Doing the greatest good for over 40 years.

From the President

“Since 1979, President’s Club donors have led the way in ensuring the most critical elements of serving our students and campus community are funded sufficiently every year. Being a President’s Club donor is one of the most meaningful ways you partner with us in reaching our vision to transform McPherson College into one of the best small, career-oriented liberal arts colleges in the U.S.”

Michael Schneider, president

Purpose & Impact

President’s Club Purpose
  • Utilizes annual gifts to the MC Fund and other budget-relieving purposes to make the biggest difference throughout MC
  • Leverages the “pooling” of gifts to fund innovative projects and programs to benefit the entire MC campus community
  • Provides sustainability for the MC Fund, which in turn funds student scholarships year-after-year
President’s Club Impact
  • The largest class in McPherson College history walked across the stage at Paul Family Field inside McPherson Stadium last May. Nearly 200 graduates representing 10 countries and 30 states received degrees – many of whom could not have attended college without the support of scholarships provided by generous President’s Club members.

  • RTI International completed its Student Debt Project research and drafted a white paper with findings. Initial conclusions affirm the project’s impact on financial literacy as well as significantly reducing student loan debt. With the help of the financial match provided by donors, MC students are graduating with the least student debt of any 4-year, private college in Kansas.

  • Contributions from the President’s Club provide students with experiential learning opportunities that give them unmatched professional experience before graduation. Nearly 80% of 2023 graduates were placed in jobs or graduate school before commencement. This placement rate is over three times the national average.

Presidents’ Club Giving Levels
  • Friends  $500
  • Associates  $1,000
  • Builders  $2,500
  • Partners  $5,000
  • Fellows  $10,000

Your contributions help support students like these:

Student Scholars

Maggie Brown
  • Maggie Brown

    Pre-Veterinary Medicine , Leota, KS

    A senior at McPherson College, Maggie received a full-tuition Natural Science scholarship. She is a leader for the Student Debt Project and has earned Honor Roll three semesters in a row. Donors, alumni, and friends like you help make Maggie's MC experience unforgettable. Maggie explains, "I was able to join the Student Debt Project, and it has been a real blessing in my life. I have hopes of attending veterinary school and finishing my undergraduate program with as little debt as possible. I am very grateful for the opportunities that McPherson College has provided me through scholarships and the Student Debt Project!"

  • Taylor Bohannon

    Biology, Belle Plaine, Kansas

    Taylor is beginning her senior year at McPherson College. Through the Student Debt Project and scholarship awards, Taylor anticipates graduating from McPherson College debt free. Her plans after college include staying in Kansas and teaching biology. "The support I have received from alumni through scholarships makes a huge difference — not just in the four years that I will be a student here, but long after I graduate. The impact of their support will last for years. It helps me reduce my college debt and makes the next steps after graduation, like pursuing a master’s degree, more attainable for me."

  • Natalia Salto

    Health Science, Cimarron, Kansas

    Natalia Salto is among the first McPherson College students to receive the Health Science Scholar awards this year. Ten scholarships for $25,000 were offered to top students who enrolled in MC’s new Health Science program this fall. Salto is also participating in the Student Debt Project. She said the scholarship along with the resources and support of the Debt Project are taking away some of the anxiety that she and her family have over affording college. “I didn’t expect to be selected for scholarship. This scholarship and the program made McPherson College the best choice for me.”

  • Nathan Saffer

    Bio-Chemistry, Arriba, Colorado

    Nathan Saffer is a fourth-generation Bulldog but he is taking advantage of an opportunity that was not available when others in his family attended McPherson College. He is beginning his second year as a member of the Student Debt Project and is planning on graduating with zero student debt. Although the matching funds part of the program is what initially caught his attention, Nathan said the financial literacy and mentorship offered through the program is something he really enjoys. “I love how it encourages you to create and stick to a budget. I think following a budget is really important in college and something I can use the rest of my life."

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Why We Give

  • Gene ’72 & Sheryl ‘73 Railsback

    "The personal connections we made at McPherson College are very important to us. It is what shaped our lives, futures, values, and vocation. McPherson College continues to grow and get better all the time, and we want to provide an opportunity for students to be a part of that."

    Make a Gift
Jerry Holman, Paul Hoffman, Eugene Lichty

History

"It began in a van."

The idea of a President’s Club was birthed during a 1979 van ride of MC leadership. This team sought to answer one enormous question: How do we meet the most pressing needs of our students, faculty, and staff this year? Their answer: launch a President’s Giving Club—an effort to ask 1,000 donors to each give $1,000. And, so they embarked on this ambitious effort to raise $1 million for the annual fund. This work continues today.