To: The Wellesley Community
From: President Paula A. Johnson
Re: The Successful, History-Making Completion of Wellesley’s Campaign
Date: July 18, 2018
I am thrilled to announce that as of June 30, 2018, the College surpassed its ambitious $500 million campaign goal, one full year ahead of schedule. With this achievement, we have completed the largest fundraising campaign ever undertaken by a women’s college.
My profound gratitude goes to our dedicated campaign co-chairs, Dorothy Chao Jenkins ’68, Sidney R. Knafel, Laura Russell Malkin ’82, and Sue Wagner ’82. Their leadership and service have inspired us all.
I also want to acknowledge the outstanding efforts of the Resources team. Wellesley is fortunate to have such a talented, devoted group of fundraising professionals who work every day to ensure we advance Wellesley’s mission.
Of course, the campaign’s success owes so much to our alumnae community, whose engagement and generosity are admired the world over. Consider that more than 85,000 gifts were contributions of $100 or less. This tremendous wave of support is a testament to the dedication of Wellesley alumnae, who have always created our forward momentum.
To all the others who helped out with the campaign—parents, family, and friends—and to our campus community, whose hard work and excellence inspire the support and commitment we count on, I extend my personal thanks. This is a moment for us all to mark as a truly meaningful milestone; each of us has invested in the next generation of Wellesley women who will find creative solutions to the world’s most pressing problems.
At Wellesley, we have always understood the power of a liberal arts education to prepare our students to reach their potential, to shape their communities, to change the world. Now, the success of the campaign has enabled us to strengthen Wellesley across all dimensions—by supporting our faculty and students and by renewing our campus. And by increasing the College’s financial aid, we have made Wellesley more accessible to more women. There is more work ahead, but the campaign has helped pave the way for the College to fully realize its promise of inclusion, equity, and excellence.
To learn more about the campaign and our journey to its completion, visit campaign.wellesley.edu, a site we created for alumnae, and read today’s Daily Shot.
As we celebrate our success and our community, we also look with great purpose and hope to the future. Building on the foundation set by this campaign, we can now imagine the next chapter for Wellesley and its students and alumnae—the women who will move tomorrow’s world forward with intellect, confidence, ambition, and compassion.
