SHREVEPORT, La. — Centenary College of Louisiana raised more than $22 million in gifts and grants during its latest fiscal year, setting a fundraising record as the college completed a major capital campaign and secured federal funding for campus renovations.
The fundraising year included more than $8 million in endowment gifts and nearly $3 million in unrestricted support. More than 2,000 individuals and organizations contributed, the college’s highest total number of donors in nearly a decade.
Centenary also completed its FORWARD campaign, which raised more than $52 million after the college expanded the campaign’s goal to $50 million. The campaign, formally called The Campaign for Our Third Century, supports student scholarships, academic programs, faculty and campus improvements.
“This remarkable year is a reflection of the extraordinary community that surrounds Centenary,” Centenary President Christopher L. Holoman said. “Our donors have demonstrated, in so many meaningful ways, that they believe in the transformative power of a Centenary education.”
Among the year’s largest contributions was a $5 million gift from the Steger Estate to support the Steger Chair for Entrepreneurship and Free Enterprise. The funding is intended to provide long-term support for entrepreneurship education.
John and Joy Ratcliff contributed $1 million to establish the John G. Ratcliff Endowed Chair in Philosophy, providing permanent support for philosophy teaching and study at the college.
Centenary also secured $10 million in federal funding for the renovation of Mickle Hall, a building dating to 1947. Congress announced the appropriation in February, and the college broke ground on the first phase of the project in June.
The renovation is designed to modernize academic space while preserving the building’s historic character. The project will support Centenary’s health sciences programs and include improvements to accessibility and academic facilities.
Unrestricted giving totaled nearly $3 million during the fiscal year. Those contributions can be used by the college to address priorities and support programs and services across campus.
“These gifts represent much more than impressive numbers,” said Fred Landry, Centenary’s vice president for development. “They represent people making deeply personal investments in the areas of Centenary that matter most to them.”
Alumni participation also exceeded the college’s annual giving goal for the fifth consecutive year. Centenary said the breadth of its donor base contributed to the record results, with more than 2,000 donors and organizations making contributions during the year.
The fundraising comes as Centenary enters its third century. The college celebrated its bicentennial in 2025.
Centenary College of Louisiana was founded in 1825 and is a private liberal arts college in Shreveport affiliated with the United Methodist Church.