Thank You! Annual Fund Sets New Record in 2016-17
“The fact that W&L supporters continue to grow the Annual Fund year after year is remarkable and flies in the face of trends we are seeing in higher education.”
—Dennis W. Cross
Vice President for University Advancement
During the 2016-17 year, W&L alumni, parents and friends once again gave more to the Annual Fund than ever before. Toward a goal of $10.55 million, their combined support at the end of the 2016-17 fiscal year on June 30 totaled $10,560,113. This represents an increase of $248,000 or 2.41 percent over last year’s total and is the eighth-consecutive year of record-setting results. The Annual Fund exceeded $10 million for the first time in 2014-15. In addition, for the eighth-consecutive year, more than 50 percent of undergraduate alumni made a gift to the university, placing W&L in a highly select group of colleges across the country with a participation rate at this level.
“The fact that W&L supporters continue to grow the Annual Fund year after year is remarkable and flies in the face of trends we are seeing in higher education,” said Dennis W. Cross, vice president for University Advancement. “The thousands of individuals who support the Annual Fund each year are affirming their belief in W&L’s mission and indicating to the world that they are proud of and grateful for the distinctive education our students experience here.
“We are indebted to the outstanding volunteer leaders of the Annual Fund, Law Annual Fund and Parents Fund, as well as the hundreds of class agents who work tirelessly on behalf of their alma mater to achieve these results,” Cross added.
Giving by undergraduate alumni continues to comprise the largest portion of the Annual Fund — this year totaling $7,086,118, an increase of more than $50,000 over last year’s result. Undergraduate non-alumni parents once again set a new record of giving to the Annual Fund, with contributions to the Parents Fund totaling $1,810,344. Giving by law alumni to the Law Annual Fund also set another record at $1,582,146. Both the Law Annual Fund and Parents Fund results represent increases of more than 6 percent over last year’s totals. Gifts from friends of the university who are not alumni or parents rounded out the Annual Fund total.
A complete summary of the 2016-17 fundraising results will be included in the August 2017 edition of Generally Speaking.
