Who Gives

Wesleyan is fortunate to have donors from nearly every department and area in the University. We have donors who give a few dollars and those that give thousands - every single gift counts! Here is a sample of people from around the University that give to the United Way and why that action helps define who they are.



  • Associate Director, Office of Academic Affairs

    Joy Vodak

    I give to the United Way because of the important programs they provide to Middlesex County.  I like the option of being able to designate my contribution to a specific fund in a town where I know the work of this organization provides counseling and education/prevention programs for the entire community.   If we learned nothing during this pandemic, it is how important these valuable resources are in times of need.   Please join me in giving this year!

  • Senior Associate Registrar

    Susan Krajewski

    I consider it an honor to donate and support the United Way each year as a member of the Wesleyan community. Community is what they are all about and our annual campaign provides us with an easy and effective way to make a positive impact on the lives of others. No matter how large or small the donation, the United Way puts all funds to good use especially during these very trying times when the need is so great. We are all so much stronger together and this is one of the important ways I strive to build community at Wesleyan.

  • Chair, Neuroscience & Behavior

    Gloster Aaron

    I believe that increasing opportunities for 2nd chances provides benefits to everyone in the community. One reason I’m giving more than ever this year is because state budget cuts threaten support for the social services that so often provide 2nd chances, and the United Way is an alternate funding source for many of those same services. Please join me in supporting our communities and yourself, as we all depend on each other’s well-being.

  • Administrative Assistant, Theater

    Dawn Alger

    I give to the local United Way as a way of paying it forward. The organizations that the United Way supports are directly responsible for the quality of life in our community that my family can enjoy. My donation may mean that a student can see their first theater performance, or that they will have a hot meal in a safe home. There is a deep satisfaction in knowing that my simple automatic payroll deduction can make the difference in someone else’s life. Resources in the Wesleyan community are abundant; we can be thankful for so much. Giving back is my way of saying thank you.

  • Associate Director, Alumni & Parent Relations

    Gina Driscoll

    We support the Middlesex United Way because the agency provides for those less fortunate. With their annual assessments, they direct funds to those in our community with the greatest need. The campaign allows for the opportunity of “neighbor helping neighbor”.  And as John and I attempt in some small way to improve our community, it makes us richer.

  • Library Assistant, Olin Library

    Jennifer Hadley

    Middlesex United Way provides a great overall way to support programs which address some of Middletown’s critical needs, such as the food pantry, shelters, mental health counseling, early childhood development initiatives, and family and youth programs.  I’m glad to join with others at Wesleyan to help fellow residents and make the city a better place to live.

  • Assistant Director, Jewett Center for Community Partnerships

    Diana Martinez

    When I donate to the United Way, I know my funds are directly benefiting families in my community. Having the ability to designate where my funds go allows me the flexibility to donate to organizations or efforts of particular importance to me. I am glad to do my small part to support the Middletown community through my donations to the Middlesex United Way.

  • Leadership Givers

    Steve Machuga and Sari Rosenblatt

    Sari and I give to Middlesex United Way because it enhances our sense of community and belonging. We have a lot to be grateful for and we know that everyone needs help from time to time. Who better to help than your neighbors?

  • Dean for Academic Advancement

    Laura Patey

    The mission of Middlesex United Way is to - mobilize the caring power of communities to strengthen lives and help people. The broad range of programs that are supported through the United Way include programs focused on ensuring that students succeed academically, and that individuals and families are healthy, safe, have access to affordable housing and are economically stable.

    I have personally witnessed and been impacted by the work of the United Way. My partner and I are the proud parents of two young men who became a part of our family through adoption - as each was on the cusp of adolescence. Both boys had faced numerous struggles and needed the support of a caring community beyond what our family could provide. They benefited from programs and services, which were funded through our community United Way, which allowed them to grow and develop into caring and giving young adults.

    I have been able to see first-hand the impact of the United Way’s quality services on the lives of individuals. There is so much great work done being done, with the support of the United Way, which continues to make a profound impact on the lives of members of our community. I am happy to do whatever I can to support this important work and know that by giving to the United Way, it allows me to have an impact on my community on a broader scale then I could do on my own. Please consider giving to support the programs and services that are so critical to so many in Middlesex county.

  • Assistant Director for Equity and Inclusion and Administrative Office Manager

    Patricia Stephenson Gordon

    I enjoy being a supporter of the United Way because it shares my principles and values in helping others who are in need of housing, education and financial support or services. It also allows me to be a partner in making a positive impact in the lives of others. The United Way is a wonderful agency that brings resources and people together to help to create a community that cares about the quality of life for all.

  • Systems Analyst

    Paul Turenne

    I choose to annually donate money to Wesleyan University’s United Way campaign because I want to help my community --- the one in which I live and work. Empowering the United Way is a way to bring my beliefs to action, to effect change and to help transform lives. My investment allows the Middlesex United Way to utilize the expertise of their staff and skilled volunteers, require programs and agencies to apply for funds and report on their accomplishments, and provide efficient and comprehensive delivery of services.

  • Deputy CIO

    Karen Warren

    While I always believed in the concept of the United Way, becoming involved at Wesleyan, I learned how localized the impact of giving truly is.  I have met many individuals both with the United Way and with agencies supported by the United Way who work in our community, devoting their careers to serving others.  Their success depends, in large part, on our giving. I am as committed as ever to doing whatever I can to contribute to that success.

  • Vice President for Advancement

    Frantz Williams

    As a member of the Middlesex County community for the past 20 years, I’ve seen first-hand the many challenges that some of the most vulnerable members of our community have endured. These hardships will continue to grow unless, we as a community, lend a helping hand.  I hope you will join me in supporting the United Way of Middlesex County.  Together we can make a difference!

  • Director, Susan B. and William K. Wasch Center for Retired Faculty

    Krishna Winston

    To me, giving to the United Way represents an effective form of thinking globally and acting locally. When neighbors band together to contribute, according to their means, to local agencies that address a range of pressing needs, they can do so with confidence that the United Way does not merely pass along their donations. The United Way vets the agencies conscientiously and provides guidance and coordination in addition to financial support. Furthermore, the money agencies receive from the United Way enables them to show other funders that their community has faith in the work they do. For these reasons and more I find giving to, and through, the United Way efficient, effective, and truly gratifying.