One day in late July, YSU Chief Development Officer Paul McFadden received a call from Bruce Sherman, president of Sherman Creative Promotions, with news about an anonymous $48,000 gift earmarked for the YSU Department of Chemistry.

“The donor is cognizant of budget cuts at YSU and at most public universities in Ohio,” said Sherman, a 1970 business college graduate and president of the YSU Alumni Society. “The donor’s hope was that this gift may encourage others to follow suit. I think that it’s a true act of selflessness because of the anonymity of the donation. Obviously, the university has meant a lot to this person.”

Sherman said he was asked to contact McFadden because the donor was aware of Sherman’s involvement with the university.

The gift, which is part of the university’s Centennial Capital Campaign, has helped YSU surpass the $32 million mark in gifts and pledges toward the $43 million goal. The campaign began in 2005 and is set to end in 2010.

“This gift will help enhance an already excellent department,” said McFadden,

adding that YSU sees more undergraduate chemistry majors receive diplomas than any chemistry department at a public university in Ohio. Each academic year, approximately 50 students graduate with bachelor’s degrees in chemistry, and at least 1,000 students per semester in different majors take chemistry courses.

Daryl Mincey, department chair, said the gift came as a complete surprise. “I hope our department can do it justice,” he said, adding that it’s not a ‘chair’ decision, but a departmental decision on how the funds should be allocated. The 15 full–time faculty members and four full–time staff members were asked to submit proposals on how the donation should be used.

Though the department was given flexibility on how to use the gift, the donor did make a few stipulations: the gift must be spent on something new, perpetual and that has an immediate impact on students.

Some ideas that have been proposed include purchasing a new piece of equipment for freshman chemistry students or to combine the donation as seed money with other resources.

“I respect the anonymity of the donor,” said Mincey. “Nonetheless, it’s my wish to somehow visibly recognize his or her generosity.”