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By BARTON PERKINS | Staff Writer

MONTEVALLO – The University of Montevallo officially launched its new MomentUM comprehensive campaign on Thursday, Oct. 12.

“The money raised will be used for scholarships, classrooms, buildings and technology, academic support, like distinguished professorships and endowed chairs,” UM President Dr. John Stewart said. “Along with taking care of this beautiful campus we have.”

MomentUM seeks to raise $30 Million, and $1 million was officially donated by Alan and Lindsey Song at the campaign’s launch, which doubled as the name dedication reception for the newly minted Alan and Lindsey Song Center for the Arts.

“What we’re doing is just a drop in the ocean, but the ocean would be less without a drop,” Alan said. “It’s our sincere hope that these small drops will create ripples that positively impact the lives of recipients for years to come.”

The Songs noted that they both come from families that greatly prize and value education and expressed the hope that the funding generated by MomentUM would successfully help fund many students’ academic careers in the years to come.

“Education has been sort of the bedrock for us,” Alan said. “My family came over as refugees. We lived in a refugee camp for several years, and really, education is what made all the opportunities available for us; it opened so many doors.”

This sentiment was also expressed by Stewart, who noted the value of education and how many Montvallo students are the first members of their family to attend college and that they benefit from how dedicated Montevallo’s faculty is to their work.

“I think our faculty are really high level,” Stewart said. “They’re distinguished. They’re accomplished. They are ultra-devoted to our students’ success and outcomes. I think that they set us apart, our intimate atmosphere and our dedication to remaining a small college and doing what we do really well.”

Stewart noted that the University hopes to maintain this level of excellence and allow more students to benefit from it with the help of the funding raised by MomentUM, which has already reached more than two-thirds of its $30 million goal. The University continues diligently working towards its goal, and Stewart expressed confidence that the remaining money can be raised.

“We’ve got a list of great donor prospects,” Stewart said. “Many of them are alums of Montevallo, who’ve gone out into the world and, and had productive lives, both personally and professionally, and want to invest in what we do here and invest in the students that we serve.”

People interested in donating to MomentUM can do so at Montevallo.edu/give/advancement/ways-to-give.