On December 15, 2020, W. Mark Tew, president of Judson College, an educational institution for women in Marion, Alabama, that is affiliated with the Baptist Church, warned that the college would close if it did not raise $500,000 by the end of the year. President Tew said that another $1 million would be needed by May for the college to continue operations.
The college raised $527,665.36 by the end of 2020 so the board of trustees voted to keep the college open for the spring semester.
The campaign to raise $5 million in statements of future financial support was launched by the board of trustees on March 3. College administrators launched an “All In For Judson” campaign, supplemented by print and digital ads, student videos, Judson stories, and other shareable content to raise awareness of the campaign. The college launched an aggressive advertising campaign with Baptist media outlets in Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Illinois, Tennessee, Florida, Virginia, and New Mexico as well as with the email distribution of Baptist Press.
Over the ensuing month, the campaign brought in a total of $1,255,273 in statements of financial support from friends, alumnae, and students. Alumnae donated more than half of the total. As a result, the board of trustees approved an operating budget for the 2021-22 academic year.
“The college is very grateful for the many sacrificial gifts and letters of intention it has received,” said President Tew. “The generosity of those who love and appreciate Judson’s unique mission is overwhelming. The board and administration are excited about the future of providing women’s education from a biblically-informed Christian worldview.”
Joanne Newman, chair of the board of trustees and an alumna of the college, added that “God is not done with us or with this campus. On behalf of the board, we are thrilled to tell you that Christian education for women in Marion, Alabama, at Judson College will continue.”