SAN ANTONIO (May 06, 2009)-An historic San Antonio College whose century-old building was gutted by a massive fire last year has received a windfall of donations since the structure’s near-demise.

The fire at Our Lady of the Lake University last May, one of the biggest San Antonio firefighters had seen in nearly a decade, caused about $15 million in damage.

Everyone survived the fire, but the fate of the century-old Catholic school felt less certain.

One year later, the school's ledgers are virtually debt-free, due mostly to donations which have soared 84 percent since the fire.

Enrollment has also climbed for the first time in seven years.

School president Tessa Martinez Pollack says the fire was an "impetus" for people to start to work together.

She says there was a tremendous showing of faith on the part of students.

Many of the 2,400 students are expected to mark the anniversary of the fire Wednesday at the main building.

The structure is expected to reopen in 2010.