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Washington State University
CAS Connect September 2015

Generous donors power our bright future

Students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends gathered on Terrell Mall Sept. 18 to celebrate the successful conclusion of the $1 billion Campaign for Washington State University: Because the World Needs Big Ideas—the largest fundraising effort in the University’s 125-year history.

More than 206,000 generous donors provided a total of $1.065 billion, including $66 million to support scholarships, teaching, research, outreach, programs, and facilities in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Physics student working with laser in physics lab
A student works with a laser in a physics laboratory

A BIG THANK YOU! to everyone who invested time, talent, and, yes, treasure, in the future of the College of Arts and Sciences and Washington State University. You are inspiring and empowering big ideas and positioning the college to address the Grand Challenges of tomorrow.


Campaign gifts directed to CAS already have provided for:

  • creation of 45 student scholarships, with a combined value of more than $7 million
  • 4 endowments valued at more than $1 million each
  • 60 endowments ranging in value from $25,000 to just under $1 million each
  • support for 25 endowed professorships and numerous academic and research programs, creative projects, and service and outreach initiatives.

Thanks to our generous donors, the college is delivering more focused support for students interested in careers from healthcare to law. For example, a program-directed leadership gift enabled the establishment of the Pre-Law Resource Center, which provides personalized guidance to help students in any major develop their experience portfolios and succeed in law school admission.

Prelaw students
Students receive personalized guidance in the new Pre-Law Resource Center.

Another philanthropic gift laid the foundation for the CAS-led Scholarly Knowledge, Innovation, and Leadership Development (SKILD) at WSU program for research development and entrepreneurial training. This year’s cohort of SKILD at WSU interns is almost evenly split between business-minded students earning MBA degrees and science-minded students earning masters and doctoral degrees.

Donations to the Dean’s Excellence Fund are providing support for many college priorities, including retention of faculty in high-demand areas, such as Digital Technology and Culture—a unique, interdisciplinary degree program that combines creative media production with critical exploration of the intersection of technology and culture.

Fueled by a vast array of accomplishments in the arts and sciences and inspired by the vision and support of our faculty, staff, students, alumni, and industry partners, the next 125 years look brighter than ever.

What’s the most exciting day at Washington State University?

Tomorrow.

#WhatsNextWSU

Big opportunities for students

Among WSU’s most important contributions is education. Our students come from diverse perspectives, ethnicities, ages, and backgrounds, but all share the warmth and support of the WSU experience. Support for scholarships and fellowships during the campaign created thousands of opportunities for students to learn, grow, and flourish at WSU.

Big investments for faculty & research

If students are the lifeblood of a university, then faculty are its heart. WSU’s outstanding faculty are teachers, investigators, innovators, and problem solvers for some of the most complex issues that we face every day. Investment in WSU’s talented faculty and their research positions WSU firmly on the cutting-edge of discovery.

Big impacts for programs & facilities

Beyond our classrooms and labs, opportunities that strengthen the mind as well as the body are a hallmark of the WSU experience. And as opportunities grow on each of WSU’s campuses and at locations throughout the state, so too does the need to create the modern spaces where learning, discovery, and collaboration will thrive.

Generous support during the campaign fueled the unique activities that make WSU a truly special experience and enabled the construction and renovation of state-of-the-art facilities where those activities can happen.

A big difference University-wide

With private support designated to 3,358 different projects, initiatives, priorities, and funding areas, virtually every corner of WSU benefits from the investments made during The Campaign for WSU. And for every investment, the citizens, industries, and communities across our state benefit, too.