Major Gifts
Capital and endowed gifts have a powerful impact on every part of WPI. In the Office of Major Gifts, we work closely with our donors to find the best possible fit between their philanthropic interests and the needs of the university.
The reasons that alumni, parents, and friends have for making capital and endowed commitments—above and beyond their gifts to the WPI Annual Fund—are as individual as the donors themselves. Some choose to commemorate a milestone reunion. Others wish to honor a faculty member or memorialize a loved one. Many recognize that giving to WPI offers them advantages from a financial and tax planning perspective. Most all step forward when they see a special need at WPI and wish to help fulfill it.
Capital Gifts
The history of WPI can actually be viewed through the lineage of capital gifts. When John Boynton decided to establish WPI, he not only bestowed a personal gift of $100,000, he challenged others to join him. Stephen Salisbury responded with a gift of land on which the campus was built. The citizens of Worcester raised gifts totaling $75,000 to build the first building, Boynton Hall. And industrialist Ichabod Washburn built the Washburn Shops to provide WPI students with a practical component to their educations.
In 1916, alumni raised the funds needed to purchase land for athletic fields and to build the school's first major athletic facility, Alumni Gymnasium. In the 1990s, capital gifts helped the university construct Fuller Laboratories, renovate Alden Memorial, renovate and expand Higgins Laboratories, and build the Campus Center. Most recently, capital gifts helped construct Bartlett Center, a beautiful new home for admissions and financial aid.
Named Endowed Gifts
The WPI endowment currently stands at $360 million, and the university operates with a trustee-approved 5.5 percent spending rule. The university stands on sound financial footing today, but with the rising cost of technology education, it's ever more important that we continue to build our endowment for tomorrow. WPI has set a goal of doubling its endowment over the next eight years.
Endowment gifts are critical to this effort and among the most important ways an individual can make a difference at WPI. Donors may create an endowment with a minimum gift of $50,000. If you are interested in making a capital or endowment gift, please contact Lisa Maizite, assistant vice president for development, at 508-831-5073 or lmaizite@wpi.edu.
Endowed Gift Opportunities at WPI include:
| Endowment Type | Minimum Endowment Funding | Expected Minimum Annual Spending Amount |
|---|---|---|
Minimum Named Endowment Level | $50,000 | $2,750 |
| Academic Departments and Centers | ||
Academic Department | $25,000,000 | $1,375,000 |
Academic Center | $10,000,000 | $550,000 |
| Faculty | ||
Professorship | $2 Million | $110,000 |
Assistant of Associate Professor Development Fund | $1 Million | $55,000 |
Visiting Professor or Professional in Residence | $1 Million | $55,000 |
| Student Scholarships/Aid | ||
Endowed Scholarship Fund for | $600,000 | $33,000 |
Student Loan Fund | $100,000 | $5,500 |
| Innovations and Excellence | ||
President's Special Initiatives Fund | $1 Million | $55,000 |
Provost's Fund for Curriculum Innovation | $500,000 | $27,500 |
Department Head Fund for | $300,000 | $16,500 |
Faculty Research Fund | $250,000 | $13,750 |
| Special Projects and Resources | ||
Global Perspective/Project Center Fund | $150,000 | $8,250 |
Library Special Collections Fund | $100,000 | $5,500 |
Endowed Lecture Fund | $100,000 | $5,500 |
| Annual Giving Leadership Opportunities | ||
President's Circle Annual Scholarship | $24,000 ($8,000 annually for three years) |
|
Corporate Partner Annual Scholarship/Fellowship | $40,000 |
|
Global Projects Annual Student Scholarships | $30,000 ($10,000 annually for three years) |
|
Last modified: February 26, 2007 14:15:02