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Ringling College of Art and Design President Larry R. Thompson and Wendy G. Surkis, president of the Sarasota Museum of Art/ SMOA, a division of Ringling College, have announced the receipt of a $1 million chal- lenge from an anonymous donor at the Gulf Coast Community Foundation. This challenge follows the successful com- pletion of a Million Dollar Match program created in January by SMOA board member and Ringling College Trustee Elaine Keating, a news release explains. That program — which matched dollar for dollar donor contributions up to $1 million — added $2.3 million in six weeks toward the completion of the cam- paign, the release points out. The anonymous donor credited Keating's leadership with inspiration for this latest challenge, saying it "was the best way that the donor could help finish the project," the release adds. The donor offered the $1 Million Challenge on the condition that SMOA secure the balance of $1.45 million by May 31, the close of the college's fiscal year, the release continues. "We are incredibly grateful to Elaine Keating for her generosity to SMOA and now to the donor of this second $1 Million Challenge gift," Surkis said in the release. "The outpour- ing of philanthropic leadership for the project is just extraordinary. It has added momentum to our efforts and has been electrifying." MUSEUM OF ART RECEIVES $1 MILLION CHALLENGE FOR CAMPAIGN Sarasota News Leader April 4, 2014 Page 112 (From left) Wendy Surkis, president of the Sarasota Museum of Art (SMOA); Elaine Keating, a Ringling College of Art and Design trustee; and Larry Thompson, president of Ringling College. Contributed photo