Wells College has been granted $40,000 by the J.M. McDonald Foundation. The gift will be used to renovate locker room facilities in the Schwartz Athletic Center located on the Wells College campus in Aurora, New York.
The College’s athletics mini-campaign is gaining support for its scholar-athletes and athletics program. Gifts raised by the campaign will allow the College to make critical updates and improvements to both outdoor and indoor facilities. The campaign is co-chaired by Wells College Board of Trustees Sarah J. Jankowski ’92 and George Slocum.
“At a time when we are intensely focused on recruiting and retaining new students—and knowing that more than a third of those intend to participate in our athletics program—enhancement of our fitness facilities plays a critical role,” said Wells College President Lisa Marsh Ryerson.
The College is a Division III member of the NCAA and a member of the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC). Since joining NEAC in 2007, the Wells Express have captured three NEAC Championships: women’s swimming in 2010-11, men’s swimming in 2009-10, and men’s basketball in 2009-10. In less than a decade, the College has grown from sponsoring six intercollegiate teams to 16 women’s and men’s varsity sports.
The J.M. McDonald Foundation was created under its founder’s name, Mr. J.M. McDonald, in 1952. It focuses on improving “education and social programs in and around upstate New York.” Its headquarters are located in Evergreen, Colorado.
