Oglethorpe Receives $5 Million Grant

Oglethorpe University has received a  $5 million grant from the Lettie Pate Evans Foundation in Atlanta -  a gift that represents the largest individual gift in the school’s history.

As the school makes plan for the construction of its new camps center - one of several capital projects identified through this effort, more than $30 million already have been raised over the past nine months.

“This gift supports and validates our collective efforts to ensure that Oglethorpe remains one of the country’s leading liberal arts and sciences universities,”  University President Lawrence M. Schall said in a prepared statement. “This leadership gift is a sign of support for all we’ve accomplished and our plans for the future.”

Oglethorpe has experienced a surge of momentum and growth over the past several years. 

• Annual Fund giving has increased 43% over the last five years. 
• Full-time enrollment has grown over 20% and tuition revenue has grown over 30%.
• The number of students living on campus has increased more than 20%.
• The size of the first year class has grown over 40%.
• Oglethorpe University has been named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for five consecutive years.

“On behalf of the entire Oglethorpe community, we extend our thanks to the Lettie Pate Evans Foundation,” said Norman P. Findley, Chair of the Oglethorpe University Board of Trustees. “The foundation’s generosity is recognition of Oglethorpe’s remarkable progress, continuing commitment to Atlanta, and importance to our city.”

The Lettie Pate Evans Foundation was established by Mrs. Evans and chartered in 1945. Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans was the wife of Joseph B. Whitehead, one of the original bottlers of Coca-Cola. The Foundation supports specified charitable organizations located and operating in Georgia and Virginia, with a particular focus on private secondary and higher education, arts and culture, and museums and historic preservation.