As the University of Redlands looks ahead to completing the historic $200 million Forever Yours campaign later this year, two of its most loyal and generous alumni leaders have issued a special challenge to alumni and friends.
As an extension of their continued generosity, Todd Lightbody ’70 and Connie Shattuck Lightbody ’70 are matching donations from all new donors to the campaign through Dec. 31. “We fully support the campaign’s goal to preserve and enhance every aspect of the Redlands experience,” says Connie, who completed her Bachelor of Arts in history at Redlands. “Todd and I hope this challenge inspires new donors to support the areas of the University that they love most.”
The Lightbodys will match, dollar-for-dollar, all individual gifts up to $2,000 from new campaign donors through the end of the calendar year. The match will support the same fund to which the new donor gave. Through these collective contributions, the couple will match up to $100,000.
“Todd and Connie represent the extraordinary generosity of our Redlands community,” says President Krista L. Newkirk. “We are incredibly grateful for their inspired leadership to leverage new donor gifts in this special way, especially as our momentum grows and we progress closer to our goals.”
The couple hopes to inspire younger alumni to make their first gift to their alma mater. The Lightbodys’ first gift was in 1984, supporting Todd’s fraternity Alpha Gamma Nu. Says Newkirk, “In the beautiful philanthropic tradition of Rich and Ginnie Hunsaker, whose first gift to Redlands was $25, Todd and Connie’s vision shows how gifts of all sizes are important to our University community.”
Associate Vice President for Advancement Gabrielle Gomez Singh ’96, ’01 has worked with the couple for many years, and remarked that their longtime philanthropy to Redlands has been inspirational to her. “Todd and Connie have supported so many areas of the University, including endowed scholarships, student loan opportunities, the Salzburg Semester, and the student food pantry,” says Singh. “Their priority has always been directing their philanthropy in ways that directly touch the lives of our students. This matching challenge will undoubtedly do that across the institution in many meaningful ways.”
Make a gift to the Forever Yours campaign before Dec. 31 and double your support to the area of the University you love most through the Lightbodys' matching challenge. Explore the Fall 2021 issue of Och Tamale magazine.
