Nicole Goodner MacFarlane ‘98 Visits Campus
Alumna Nicole Goodner MacFarlane '98 came to Putney, on October 17, 2014, to surprise her mentor, communications professor Geoff Burgess. Nicole is the motivating force behind the $2 million matching pledge from the Tambour Foundation that kicked off Landmark College's Capital Campaign to build the Nicole Goodner MacFarlane Science, Technology & Innovation Center, which is slated to open in fall 2015.
Nicole and her Landmark College roommate, Kelly Van Der Aa Wilbraham '99, walked around campus reminiscing in the morning before hosting a lunch in honor of Geoff. Nicole thanked Geoff with a framed photo, saying, “He had such a profound effect on me then, just by not giving up on me, which in the end changed my whole life.” Speaking before 25 of Geoff’s coworkers and friends, Nicole continued, “If I missed class, he was knocking on my door, and at the time, he knew I needed that type of support before I was able to recognize it myself.” Nicole and Kelly ended their daylong visit with a mission to tackle the campus hill again!
The Nicole Goodner MacFarlane Science, Technology & Innovation Center, the College’s first-ever new academic building, will be a physical and intellectual hub for education and research activities at Landmark College. This $10 million building will be funded through a $7 million Capital Campaign, which already includes many sizable gifts, including a $2 million challenge grant from the Tambour Foundation and a gift from long-time supporters Charles and Nan Strauch, among many others, including members of the Landmark College Board of Trustees. Donations of all sizes from alumni, faculty, staff, students, families, community members, and friends of Landmark College have also been received from around the world. Landmark College has secured the remaining $3 million in construction funds through the issuance of a tax-exempt bond with a low, fixed rate of interest for ten years provided by TD Bank.
Thank you to Nicole Goodner MacFarlane and the MacFarlane family for initiating the process with the Tambour Foundation that led to their generous matching grant.