Giving Opportunities

There are three ways to give to Wesleyan.

  • The Wesleyan Fund and the Parents Fund. Your gift to these annual funds supports the student experience on campus today: academics, athletics, arts, student life, financial aid and so much more. 

  • Targeted giving. You can leave a lasting legacy by establishing a scholarship or faculty chair, or support campus planning by naming a building. There are also some restricted funds that go to support special initiatives like Wesleyan Athletics, the Center for Prison Education and other programs.

  • Planned giving. You can include Wesleyan in your estate plans to support generations of Cardinals.
     

 

Wesleyan Fund Giving Opportunities

Gifts to this annual fund provide immediate support for every aspect of student life on campus, from the arts, academics, athletics, facilities and classrooms, and more. Each gift, every year, is greatly appreciated and makes an impact on all Wesleyan students.

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    Wesleyan's Greatest Need

    Gifts so designated will be disbursed based on the administration’s current greatest need which, at this writing, is Financial Aid.

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    Financial Aid

    Wesleyan is committed to enrolling a student body that is socio-economically diverse and to this end will meet the full financial need of all admitted students. Gifts designated to financial aid make the Wesleyan experience possible for talented, low-income students who might not otherwise be able to attend. This year we will spend more than $75 million on financial aid, and annual giving is an important source of funding. Learn more about endowed scholarships.

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    Student Life

    Your Wesleyan Fund gift directed to Student Life supports the eclectic mix of clubs, teams and organizations that feed the needs of Wesleyan's diverse, energetic community of learners who think both critically and creatively about themselves, their world and their place in it. Gifts to this designation support the Gordon Career Center and fostering student connections with alumni and parents. 

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    Arts

    The arts are thriving at Wesleyan, exposing students to traditions and cultures, fostering creativity, and demonstrating the relevance of artistic study to address society's most pressing problems. Your Wesleyan Fund gift directed to the Arts benefits students who take advantage of these opportunities and helps bring to campus artists to share their creative vision.

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    Faculty and Academic Support

    Your Wesleyan Fund gift directed to Academic Programming and Faculty Support provides teaching, mentoring and research opportunities that encourage student-faculty collaboration and provide dynamic, path-breaking programming and faculty support in Wesleyan's numerous interdisciplinary colleges and centers of study. Learn more about endowed professorships.

Parents Fund

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    Families are an integral part of the Wesleyan community. Gifts by parents and family members to the Parents Fund directly support the student experience at Wesleyan: in the classroom, on the stage, in the lab and on the field. A gift of any size can be given in honor of your student. Learn more here.

Targeted Gifts

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    Targeted gifts allow you to restrict your contribution to a specific purpose or project.There are also some restricted funds that go to support special initiatives like Wesleyan Athletics, the Center for Prison Education, the Center for African American Studies, and other programs.

    Learn more

    Athletics

    The Cardinal Fund for Athletics, the Coach's Fund and capital priorities are just three ways to target your gift to Wesleyan Athletics: 

    Cardinal Fund for Athletics. Most vital to the department, your Wesleyan Fund gift to the Cardinal Fund for Athletics gives the athletic director flexibility to direct funds to areas of greatest need, giving our 600 student-athletes the best possible experience in the classroom, in competition and in the community. Give now here.

    The Coach's Fund allows you to allocate your contribution to Wesleyan Athletics to any one of Wesleyan's 29 varsity athletic teams.

    Capital Priorities for Wesleyan Athletics allows your targeted gift to be used toward projects the help provide current and prospective student-athletes with the best facilities to call home while competing for Wesleyan University. Learn more about our current Wesleyan Athletics capital priorities. 

    For more information about targeting gifts to Wesleyan Athletics, contact Karen Whalen, director of athletic fundraising, at (860) 685-2522 or kwhalen@wesleyan.edu

    Center for African American Studies

    The Center for African American Studies (CAAS) organizes events and programs that enrich the offerings of the African American studies program, deepening campus and community conversations about contemporary and historic matters relating to African American studies and the African diaspora. To give to the Center for African American Studies, be sure to include "Center for African American Studies" in the "Special Instructions" field when making your gift. 

    Center for Prison Education

    The Center for Prison Education (CPE) brings the transformative power of the liberal arts into Connecticut’s prisons, offering incarcerated individuals the opportunity to take Wesleyan courses, taught by Wesleyan faculty and receive college credit for their efforts. Through its efforts, CPE helps to cultivate scholars and citizens who will be assets to their families and communities, both before and after their release. Give now here.


Endowed Gifts

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    Endowed gifts enable you to fund a program in perpetuity. Wesleyan’s immediate endowment needs are scholarships, funds for internships and summer research experiences, and professorships in some disciplines.