Because someone she had never met believed in her. Raised in the face of significant financial and personal challenges, Jasmine grew up knowing that survival often came before dreams. "For nearly two centuries, Marietta's story has been written by people who believed enough in its future to invest in it," said President Kathleen Poorman Dougherty. This year's success also reflects the lasting generosity of alumni and friends who believed in Marietta's future long before FY26 began. Nearly two centuries ago, Marietta College was built by people who believed education could change lives.