Dunn said in September that there will most likely be eight such Radcliffe scholars who will take up residence next fall.

All the new fellowships will be paid for by the endowment, which includes a $200 million gift from Harvard as stipulated in the merger deal.

But Dunn isn't about to relax. The dean and other Radcliffe leaders are aggressively fundraising to shore up the future.

A $30 million challenge grant from Harvard--part of the overall $200 million package--encourages major donations from college alumnae and friends. Radcliffe is actively soliciting money from foundations as well.

Dunn and President Neil L. Rudenstine appeared jointly earlier this month to ask for a grant from a foundation, the first joint solicitation by a Harvard president and a Radcliffe leader ever.

"I would like in the course of this year to raise $10 million and hopefully more," Dunn says.

Brock says her own fundraising success has increased since the merger.

"People like to invest early in the history of something," she says. "They like to help build institutions."