Endowment Giving
The Importance of Endowment
Earnings from endowments provide the great majority of the philanthropic support sustaining W&L each year. When you give a gift to establish or build an endowment, your gift:
- Provides annual revenues that support the chosen purpose of your endowed fund
- Helps W&L keep tuition increases to a minimum
- Contributes to the financial strength that allows W&L to remain true to its mission
W&L has established specific funding priorities and endowment sizes so your investment in an existing or new endowment will be helpful and effective.
Your Gifts at Work
48%
Percentage of W&L's 2019-20 operating budget derived from philanthropy.
$1.6 Billion
W&L's endowment as of June 30, 2020
$23.73 Million
New gifts and pledges invested in W&L's endowment in 2019-20
How Giving To Endowment Works
When you give to an endowed fund, the university invests your gift as part of its overall endowment portfolio. Each year, a portion of the value of your endowed fund is paid out to support the fund's purpose (a scholarship, a professorship, etc.) Any remaining earnings are used to build the endowment's value. In this way, an endowment fund can grow and provide support for its designated purpose in perpetuity.
Endowment Thresholds
Endowment thresholds indicate the minimum gift needed to establish an endowment supporting key fundraising priorities.
List of Endowed Funds
Washington and Lee's endowed funds ensure talented students have access to a W&L education, provide faculty with opportunities for research and academic enrichment, support university programs so that they thrive, and sustain the beauty of the historic campus.
Giving
Endowment Giving
Office of University Development
- P: 540-458-8410
- F: 540-458-8428
- E: development@wlu.edu
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Endowment Giving
Office of University Development
Washington and Lee University
Development Building
Lexington, VA 24450
Funding Priorities
Your gift helps keep W&L at the forefront of liberal arts in our nation. Learn more about W&L's top fundraising priorities.
Teaching and Learning
Washington and Lee's Harte Center for Teaching and Learning will be a space that builds upon W&L's signature strengths of outstanding teaching and academic performance. Located in Leyburn Library on the first two levels, the Harte Center will offer W&L professors the training and resources that will help them to be the best possible teachers, and provide students access to experts and resources that will enhance their writing, oral communication, research, and quantitative skills and improve executive function.
Inclusion and Engagement
Washington and Lee's mission includes preparing graduates for engaged citizenship in a global and diverse society. To accomplish this objective, students need the ability to interact with highly talented peers, faculty and staff who represent a broad range of backgrounds and perspectives. Gifts in support of the Office of Inclusion and Engagement will help fund programming, future staffing and resources such as the food pantry, textbook lending library and professional wardrobe closet.
Scholarships
Raising an additional $135 million in scholarship support would place W&L among a select group of prominent schools free to admit any student, without consideration of their financial situation. In turn, W&L would be poised to attract gifted students from all backgrounds who contribute significantly to the rigorous academic environment for which the university is known.
Endowment
Earnings from endowments provide the great majority of the philanthropic support sustaining W&L each year. When you give a gift to establish or build an endowment, your gift: 1) Provides annual revenues that support the chosen purpose of your endowed fund; 2) Helps W&L keep tuition increases to a minimum; 3) Contributes to the financial strength that allows W&L to remain true to its mission.
Contact a Gift Officer
If you are interested in establishing an endowment, please start a conversation with a member of our Leadership Giving team.
Susan Wood
Executive Director of University Development
- P: 540-458-8489
- E: swood@wlu.edu
Susan leads the university’s Development Office and is a key partner in fundraising for W&L. She works with donors from Georgia and Tennessee.
Jocelyn Lewis
Director of Leadership Giving
- P: 540-458-8165
- E: jlewis@wlu.edu
Lewis manages the leadership gifts team responsible for securing private support from alumni, parents and friends of W&L. Her areas include women in philanthropy and she works with donors in Georgia, Maryland, Washington, DC, and Illinois.
Steve Wasser
Director of Regional Leadership Giving
- P: 540-458-8487
- E: swasser@wlu.edu
Steve is responsible for managing a team of regional gift officers. He works with donors from Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin.
Amy Bersett
Senior Director of Development
- P: 540-458-8410
- E: abersett@wlu.edu
Amy is part of the leadership gifts team responsible for securing private support from alumni, parents and friends of the University. She works with donors from San Francisco, Washington, DC, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Pittsburgh.
Mike Fisher
Regional Director of Development
- P: 540-458-8423
- E: mfisher@wlu.edu
Mike Fisher is part of the leadership gifts team responsible for securing support for W&L from alumni, parents and friends. He works with donors from North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, Colorado, Utah, Kansas, Arizona and New Mexico.
Karine Pastorius
Regional Director of Development
Karine Pastorius is part of the leadership gifts team responsible for securing private support from alumni, parents and friends of the university. She works with donors from Washington State, Los Angeles, San Diego, New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania, Oregon, Delaware and Ohio.
Nancy McIntyre
Director of Undergraduate Academic Development
Nancy secures private support for the university and serves as the university academic development staff liaison. In this role, Nancy will explore new opportunities for university faculty to connect with W&L alumni, parents and friends to enhance philanthropy and the student experience. She works with donors in New York City, South Carolina and Virginia.
Kenny Melvin
Senior Director of Development
- P: 540-458-8410
- E: kjmelvin@wlu.edu
Kenny Melvin handles giving in support of the university and serves as the staff liaison to the Williams School. He works with donors in New York City, New York State, Northern New Jersey, and Connecticut.