Fundraising Letter of Warden Kiss
December 2023
Dear xxxxx,
2023 has been an exciting and historic year for the Rhodes Trust. It was wonderful to see so many Scholars and friends in Oxford in June to celebrate the 120th Anniversary of the Scholarships, the largest gathering of Rhodes Scholars in our history. The occasion also served as the grand opening of the reimagined Rhodes House, now a world-class facility that will be the anchor for our global community to connect, exchange ideas, and inspire one another. The next time you are in Oxford, we hope to host you in one of the new guestrooms! During this momentous occasion, I was thrilled to join Andrew Banks (Florida & St Edmund Hall 1976) and Isaac Shongwe (South Africa-at-Large & Christ Church 1989) to announce the launch of our Exponential Potential Campaign. Over the past 120 years, Rhodes Scholars have become one of the world's foremost communities of innovative, public-spirited leaders. The success of The Compaign for the Second Century, which concluded in 2017, secured the Trust's financial stability, and we are profoundly grateful to all who made that possible. Now, as we look toward our 125 anniversary in 2028, we seek to amplify the reach and impact of our community by investing in the people, place, and programmes that will unlock world-changing ideas.
At the heart of the Exponential Potential campaign is the parity and excellence of the Scholar experience. We strive to ensure that outstanding candidates around the world have access to this amazing opportunity to study in Oxford, to become leaders in their chosen fields, and to join a lifelong fellowship to support and inspire their efforts to fight the world's fight. I hope that you'll visit our website (www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/potential) to learn more about the exciting work underway.
The Scholars Fund is an essential element of the Exponential Potential campaign. Gifts to the Scholars Fund- no matter their size-represent a critical and consistent stream of support that secures the financial resilience of the Scholarships and ensures that we can provide a high-quality experience to every Scholar in Oxford. From individualised support for Scholars in Residence to supporting cross-generational connections across our global community, annual gifts are a vital source of regular income and an essential complement to the Trust's endowment.
Thank you for your last gift of USD $100. Because of your generosity, Scholars in Residence were able to thrive in Oxford regardless of personal circumstances. Today, I invite you to join me in renewing your generosity and paying forward the life-changing opportunities that we received to future generations of Rhodes Scholars. I invite you to be a part of the transformative journey we are embarking on through the Exponential Potential campaign. Thank you for considering our request, and for being an integral part of the Rhodes Scholar community.
With deepest gratitude,
Elizett
Elizabeth Kiss (Virginia & Balliol 1983) Warden of Rhodes House
To make a gift
Use the enclosed donation form and reply envelope OR scan this QR code to make a tax-efficient gift to the Scholars Fund via the American Trust for Oxford Inc.
All ways of giving can be found on the Rhodes Trust website:
www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/potential/give-now/