The mid-morning sun bathed a lawn on the northeast of Furman University\u2019s James B. Duke Library, a cool stillness settled in the air, and Heidi McCrory declared to a crowd of about 75 people that it was \u201ca glorious day to be at Furman.\u201d<\/p>\n
Indeed, McCrory, vice president for Development<\/a> at Furman, and Elizabeth Davis, Furman\u2019s president, were among those in attendance to dedicate Benefactors Green, the curving swath of lawn with 10 newly installed stone towers. The towers, about 8-feet high, list the members of the White Oaks Society, donors who have given $1 million or more. Special bronze markings designate donors who have given $5 million and $10 million.<\/p>\n \u201cThis ceremony, and especially the names engraved here, are a timeless reminder of the tremendous impact of philanthropy,\u201d Davis said. \u201cIt is with generous support like yours, and through Clearly Furman<\/a>, our most ambitious campaign to date, that we are boldly entering our third century, meeting our promise to prepare our students to be agents of inspiration, leadership and change in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n Senior Samantha Beeson thanked the donors in the crowd for funding scholarships and other programs that make The Furman Advantage possible. Thanks to stipends to pay student expenses, Beeson completed an internship in Washington, D.C., last summer.<\/p>\n \u201cThis internship helped me strengthen my strategic writing, interpersonal communication skills, and, more specifically, problem-solving skills because we know there are a lot of problems that need fixing in Washington, D.C.,\u201d Beeson said, and the crowd laughed.<\/p>\n Davis recognized new members of the White Oak Society, many of whom were at the dedication. The new members are:<\/p>\n She also recognized White Oaks members who increased their giving level:<\/p>\n\n