wtnSTON-SALEM state university, north CAROLINA VOL. 9 APRIL 1990 RJR Donates $4 Million To Centennial Campaign Press Release R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., announced on March 6th, that it would contribute $4 million to WSSU, to help establish the university as a regional center of higher education and improve the area’s economic develop ment opportunities. James W. Johnston, RJR’s chairman and chief ex ecutive officer, made the an nouncement to more than 200 local business, civic and academic leaders at a lunch eon on the campus. He said that RJR’s gift marked a nearly 100-year relationship that began with Dr. Simon Green Atkins, founder of Winston-Salem State Univer sity, and Richard Joshua Reynolds, the company’s founder. Reynolds Tobacco’s contribution is the first ma jor gift the University has re ceived toward its new Cen tennial Campaign to raise $25 million in private dona tions toward a $55 million to tal goal. Funds will be used to establish WSSU as a re gional university by expand ing campus facilities, strengthening academic pro Hl i James W. Johnston, presents plaque to Dr. Thompson. Photo By:Tuttle gramming and faculty, and of fering greater scholarship op portunities. The RJR grant will be paid in four installments, the last to be made in 1992. The first installment of $500,000 has already been given to the university to purchase imme diately additional land around the current campus for the ex pansion outlined in the Centen nial Campaign plan. Two and a half million dollars will be paid in three installment and the fourth million is offered in the form of a challenge grant to match monies that the univer sity will raise through this Cen tennial Campaign. “This $4 million you’ve given Winston-Salem State puts us well on our way to re alizing a successful Centen nial Campaign, and to realiz ing oui full potential,” said Cleon F. Thompson Jr., the university’s chancellor. In thanking Johnston, Thompson said, “You and your company have played a vital role in the history and development of this institution...Your gift today is by far the largest contribution this institution has ever re ceived. It’s also among the largest corporate gifts ever given to any pubUc college or university.” Noting that RJR’s gifts have not been truly altruistic, Johnston said that his com pany employs 221 alumni of Winston-Salem State Univer sity and that the company looks to the school for future employees. In 1983, a $1 million gift helped build the university’s RJR Center. Sara Lee Corp. Donates $2.5 Million To WSSU Press Release Sara Lee Corporation an nounced on March 20 that it will contribute $2.5 million to Winston-Salem State University’s Centennial Campaign. The gift was announced by the president of Sara Lee, Paul Fulton Jr., at a morning news conference at Benton Con vention Center, where Fulton later delivered a speech about Winston-Salem State University to members of the Downtown Rotary Club. Fulton, a university trustee since 1985, is honorary chairman of the Centennial Campaign, which seeks to raise $25 million in pri vate donations toward a total goal of $55 million. The funds will be used to establish Win- ston-Salem State University as a regional university serving the Western Piedmont. “Sara Lee’s gift is another demonstration of corporate sup port for this university and what it seeks to accomplish for the good of this and neighboring communities,” said Chancel lor Cleon F. Thompson Jr. “These donations will greatly enhance our ability to attract and retain both outstanding faculty and students, as well as improve our campus fa cilities and strengthen our Jumped to page 13