New College Announces $3 Million Gift, Second Largest in College’s History

February 21, 2012 — New College of Florida has announced what is believed to be the second largest individual gift in the College’s history.  The gift, which is part of the Heidi H. Boothe estate, is expected to top $3 million in assets and property when liquidated, according to attorney Bob Johnson, administrator of the Boothe estate.  The gift was made in honor of Boothe’s daughter, Sharon Boothe Rider, a New College graduate, who died unexpectedly in 2004.
“This magnificent gift testifies to the powerful effects that a New College education can have across the generations,” said New College of Florida President Mike Michalson in announcing the gift.  “Certainly the Boothe family name will live through the beneficial impact of this gift in the decades to come.”
Heidi H. Boothe was one of the early pioneers of Tallevast, Florida.  For more than 50 years, she owned and operated a substantial cattle ranch in the area and was known for her hard work and outgoing personality, as well as for her love of animals and interest in environmental conservation.  She also was renowned for her spirit of adventure.  Breaking the gender barrier, Boothe was one of the first female pilots to join the Sarasota Flying Club.  She loved to race cars as well and counted an antique Porsche among her prized possessions.  She died on October 10, 2011, at the age of 90.
Boothe’s gift, which is believed to be second only to a $3.752 million gift to New College from the Jane Bancroft Cook Estate in 2003, continues a milestone fundraising run for New College.  Over the past 18 months, the College has raised more than $20 million in outright and planned gifts, as part of its $60 million New College Promise Campaign.
For more information on the Heidi H. Boothe gift to New College of Florida, or to learn how you can support Florida’s honors college for the liberal arts and sciences, please contact the New College Office of Public Affairs at (941) 487-4150; [email protected] or the New College Foundation at (941) 487-4800; [email protected].
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Founded in 1960, New College of Florida is a national leader in the arts and sciences. Consistently ranked among the top public liberal arts colleges in America by U.S. News & World Report, Forbes and The Princeton Review, New College attracts highly motivated, academically talented students from some 40 states and nearly 25 foreign countries. A higher proportion of New College students receive Fulbright awards than graduates from virtually all other colleges and universities in the United States.