WFU campaign reaches $700 million mark
Wake Will Lead campaign furthers culture of philanthropy with $112 million raised this year
Wake Forest University received more than $112 million in gifts and commitments between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017. This is the third time Wake Forest has surpassed the $100 million fundraising mark in a single fiscal year since beginning the Wake Will campaign. More than 59,000 donors have collectively invested more than $700 million in students, faculty and capital projects.
Wake Will Lead: Why it matters
From scholarship recipients to professors to coaches, the impact of Wake Will Lead extends across the University. Click here to read what a few Wake Foresters are saying about how the campaign has made a difference for them.
In 2016, the University surpassed its original $600 million fundraising goal two years ahead of schedule. The Board of Trustees extended the campaign and set a new goal of raising $1 billion by 2020 to support the University’s mission.
“Our future relies on Wake Foresters prepared to lead in moments mundane and monumental,” said Wake Forest President Nathan O. Hatch. “So many have stepped forward this year to generously support Wake Forest.”
“A culture of philanthropic leadership will support Wake Forest’s signature strengths as the means to prepare tomorrow’s leaders.” Nathan O. Hatch, Wake Forest president
Wake Will Lead Campaign milestones include:
- More than $190 million for scholarships and financial aid, with a particular focus on access for first-generation and middle-class students;
- More than $70 million raised to recruit and retain best-in-class faculty, including the appointment of two new endowed Presidential Chairs;
- A record $10.6 million in gifts this year for the Wake Forest Fund, the University’s annual fund;
- More than $164 million raised for campus capital improvements.
Wake Will Lead has fueled impressive momentum for the University:
- The current U.S. News rankings mark 21 consecutive years among the top-30 national universities, a top-5 ranking for the University’s commitment to undergraduate teaching, and first among national universities in the proportion of students who earn academic credit while studying abroad.
- This fall, Wake Forest will welcome the Class of 2021 to campus – joining the most competitive and diverse student body in the University’s history. These students will benefit from new international, joint-degree, and cross-school programs that create opportunities to transcend the boundaries of campus, culture and academic discipline.
- With the addition of the McCreary Field House, Sutton Sports Performance and Shah Basketball Complex, Wake Forest is enhancing its ability to produce champions on and off the field with new athletic facilities and support for student-athletes.
- Wake Forest is in the midst of a 10-year construction and renewal effort that reflects the institution’s commitment to offer the best residential college experience in the country, enhancing classroom and campus life for students. This fall, the historic Reynolds Gym will reopen as a dynamic hub for campus health and wellness for the entire campus community.
- The undergraduate College and the Schools of Business, Divinity, and Law are realizing the benefits of new and renovated physical spaces, support for faculty, and new sources of student aid.
- Wake Forest has been at the forefront of transforming the traditional concept of career services into a holistic, four-year approach to personal and career development, resulting in 98% of graduates employed or accepted into graduate school within six months of graduation – and prepared for a lifetime of career changes.
Categories: Transformative Giving
