Skidmore receives lead gift for major boathouse improvements
Skidmore College has received a gift of $750,000 from a recent graduate's family that will serve as the lead gift for major improvements to the college's boathouse on Fish Creek.
The gift is from Margaret and Michael Valentine of Cincinnati, Ohio, whose daughter Martha earned a B.S. degree in studio art from Skidmore in 2009. The funds will support upgrades at the Fish Creek home of Skidmore's crew program, including significant renovation and expansion of the current structure.
In commenting on the gift, Skidmore Athletics Director Gail Cummings-Danson cited the donors' vision and their generosity. "Moving forward with a new boathouse will not only serve as a tremendous asset for the rowing programs but will also lay the foundation for what we hope is the first in a series of athletic facility projects," said Cummings-Danson.
Martha, Michael, Margaret Valentine
She added, "We cannot thank the Valentine family enough for providing the lead gift for what will be a wonderful new rowing facility for our student-athletes to call home."
Renovation of the crew facilities, constructed on Fish Creek in 1988, has been on Skidmore's agenda for a number of years. Three years ago the college undertook improvements, including strengthening the foundation, installing a new septic system, and moving overhead power lines. Last October, the Skidmore Board of Trustees approved the hiring of an architect to design a new facility on the current site. The new plans call for a two-story boathouse of approximately 6,800 square feet, which includes an 850 square-foot training room and a separate sculling pavilion. The cost will be approximately $2.2 million. A construction date has not yet been determined.
Margaret Valentine said, " We are pleased to be able to help Skidmore in its goal to improve the athletic program, and were impressed by Athletic Director Gail Cummings-Danson's commitment and enthusiasm for the programs at Skidmore."
Continued Valentine, "Rowing for Skidmore was a great experience for Martha and we are happy to be able to help make the facilities better for the students."
Mosaic Associates is the architectural firm that designed the new facility; its head is John Onderdonk, a 1989 Skidmore graduate who was a member of the college's men's crew while a student. His student success at crew earned him induction to the Skidmore Thoroughbred Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009.
Crew Coach Jim Tucci is excited about the gift and its potential to transform Skidmore's rowing program. "The new boathouse will be an inspiring venue to row from, and will increase pride in the program from rowers and supporters," he predicted. The project will help to enhance recruiting of student-athletes in the years ahead, he added.
As coach since 1986, Tucci was at the helm when Skidmore's women's varsity 8 was ranked fifth in the country in 2001. Skidmore's crew team has been ranked as high as 10 th nationally in 2009. This year's team, with six seniors, is "looking very good," according to Tucci. The rowers will head to Tennessee for March spring break and train alongside the Canadian Olympic team. The Thoroughbreds will scrimmage against Notre Dame, Dartmouth, and Marquette in preparation for a team goal of competing at the NCAA championships in Sacramento this May.
Reflecting on recent graduate Martha Valentine, Tucci called her "a natural athlete and born leader through her example. Given those traits, she almost immediately became stroke of her boats and was an asset to the team."
In addition to offering a collegiate program, Skidmore has for 22 years supported the Skidmore Community Rowing Program, which has sent a team to the Masters Nationals over the past two years.
Martha Valentine rowed at Skidmore for two seasons and also was a member of the Community Rowing team for the past two years. She is a member of the advisory group of alumni, parents, and friends of the college that has provided feedback on the design phase of the boathouse project.
The Valentine family has a history of generosity to higher education both in their hometown as well as Skidmore. Margaret and Michael were graduated from the University of Cincinnati and have supported the university's academic and athletic programs through generous donations and by participating in programs. The couple owns and operates Valentine Research, an electronics research, manufacturing and marketing company that created the Valentine One Radar Locator, a leader in the radar detector industry.