Wabash College wants its campus, community, and friends across the world to celebrate, participate, and elevate the College’s profile and its students’ experiences during its annual Day of Giving on Wednesday, April 24.
A group of generous Wabash leaders has amplified that idea and offered $500,000 as a challenge to the Wabash Nation to make 5,000 gifts in support of our students. The goal is to receive more than 5,000 gifts by midnight in support of the student body and the transformational liberal arts education received.
Combining the ideas of crowdfunding, affinity challenges, and the buzz of social media, the #CelebrateWabash effort hopes to inspire participation and strengthen connections to the College through a celebration of philanthropy.
“The Day of Giving at Wabash is always a highlight of the year,” said President Scott Feller. “On this one, very special day, we demonstrate our love of our College and the power of our collective philanthropy for the benefit of our students and faculty. I’m proud of how our alumni, parents, faculty, staff, students, and friends – year after year – pay it forward for the benefit of future generations of Wabash men.”
Donations made on the 2024 Day of Giving will help deliver the College’s enduring and transformational liberal arts experience to students through the people, places, and programs that make it unique.
On Wednesday, the Wabash campus will enjoy a variety of events throughout the day to inspire excitement and engagement, including lunch and activities on the College Mall, and two events in the Lilly Library: a birthday bash from 4-5 p.m. and a study break with refreshments from 8-9 p.m.
Alumni across the country will also be hosting get-togethers and after-work socials, including Cincinnati; Chicago; Dallas; Evansville; Fort Wayne; Indianapolis; New York City; Northwest Indiana; and Washington, D.C.
The College continues to break records on its annual Day of Giving. Last year, 6,939 gifts made on the day totaled $1,679,438. The 24-hour fundraising effort raised the equivalent of $2,107 per student, a figure that outdistanced the best days of giving across peer institutions, the state, and nationally. The per-student figure was nearly $400 more than in 2022.
The generosity of $720,000 in pledged gifts from 43 lead donors was the foundation of six challenges unlocked throughout the day as gifts accumulated. Alumni in every class from the Class of 1951 to the fall’s incoming students in the Class of 2027 — 77 consecutive years —made gifts on the Day of Giving.
Wabash has raised more than $1 million on its annual Day of Giving for six consecutive years. In its 10-year Day of Giving history, Wabash has raised $10,338,765 from 47,510 gifts.
Anyone can participate in the Day of Giving by following these four steps: make a gift, persuade others to give others to do the same, spread the word through your social networks with the hashtag #CelebrateWabash, and enjoy the Day’s excitement and success.
To make a gift, visit www.wabash.edu/celebrate or call (877) 743-4545.
Gifts made on the 2024 Day of Giving will be allocated to the Annual Fund, unless otherwise noted in the comments section on the giving form found on the website.