This Is Wesleyan—and the Momentum Continues
Just over two years after its public launch, This Is Not a Campaign. This Is Wesleyan. has reached a defining milestone—surpassing $500 million raised toward its $600 million goal, the largest fundraising initiative in school history. This moment reflects both the ambition of the effort and the deep confidence alumni, families, and friends continue to place in Wesleyan University’s future.
President Michael S. Roth ’78 announced that the campaign has now raised $502 million, supported by the generosity of more than 25,000 donors, as the University deepens its national and global engagement.
“I recently visited alumni, families, and friends on the West Coast, where I was struck by how proud they are of Wesleyan’s clarity of purpose and steadfast commitment to its values,” said Roth. “That confidence is reflected in this major milestone. Reaching this mark is a powerful affirmation of belief in Wesleyan’s future.”
The campaign launched in October 2023 as a case for support of Wesleyan University’s position as a pragmatic liberal arts institution committed to access, intellectual rigor, creative practice, and civic engagement. Two years later, that vision is increasingly visible in how the University invests in its people, programs, and spaces.
“I came from a public high school and a middle-class family on the West Coast, and it took student loans, work study, and financial aid for me to attend,” said Naomi Mezey ’87 , P’28 while reflecting on why she has supported the campaign. “As I got older, I learned that a great education expands the person you are: It broadens the way you think, how you see the world, what you value…[Wesleyan] has stayed true to its core values, to accessibility for less affluent kids, and to so many of the things that made it such an exceptional college experience.”
Accessibility remains central to the campaign. The University now spends more than $90 million annually on financial aid, ensuring that a Wesleyan education is an option for students from all backgrounds. In 2023, the University joined a small number of institutions nationwide that have eliminated loans from undergraduate financial aid packages—a commitment that campaign support has helped sustain and strengthen.
Campaign priorities are closely aligned with Wesleyan’s strategic plan, Toward Wesleyan’s Bicentennial, supporting progress across its three core goals: enhancing the University’s distinctive educational program, building on its reputation as a leader in pragmatic liberal education, and enhancing long-term sustainability. Campaign support has already expanded opportunities for civic engagement and dialogue through the Allbritton Center for the Study of Public Life; deepened career preparation and alumni-student connections through the Gordon Career Center; broadened access to Wesleyan coursework nationwide for Title I high school students through its partnership with the National Education Opportunity Network; and strengthened creative and literary practice through initiatives at the Center for the Arts and the Shapiro Center for Creative Writing and Criticism.
The campaign’s impact is also reflected in a series of major campus investments made possible, in part, through philanthropic support. The recently opened Fries Arts Building has created a new interdisciplinary hub for artistic practice and performance, while the nearly completed science building represents a significant commitment to sustainability and scientific research and teaching. The renovated and renamed Belzberg World Music Hall has reopened as a revitalized home for global music traditions. The Frank Center for Public Affairs and the Pruzan Arts Center are expanding opportunities for civic dialogue and engagement on campus, with the Goldrach Gallery—located within the Pruzan Arts Center—providing a new space for showcasing curated works from the Davison Art Collection.
“My giving is rooted in gratitude,” said Melissa Mondesir Miller ’07. “Wesleyan challenged me to think critically, grow confidently, and engage the world with purpose. I benefited from a community that invested deeply in students as whole people, and giving back is one way I help sustain that experience for future generations.”
Student life is also a key part of the campaign, including support for the athletics endowment fund, which advances competitive excellence, as well as projects such as Hicks Field, a new carbon-zero field hockey turf that reflects the University’s commitment to sustainability. Investments in global initiatives such as African Scholars are also broadening Wesleyan’s international reach and deepening its campus community, while additional endowment dollars raised through the campaign will continue to support scholarships and programs for generations to come.
The many donors that have already contributed reflect a community invested not only in Wesleyan’s legacy but in its continued ability to educate students for lives of purpose and impact.
“Wesleyan instilled a limitless sense of possibility in me—as a first-generation college student, I arrived unsure if I belonged, and left knowing I could study broadly, embrace diverse interests, and aim for impactful change,” said Aaron Veerasuntharam ’14. “I found my voice at Wesleyan and learned to speak out in accordance with my values, a foundation that’s shaped everything from founding a tutoring organization in New York City to my current work making artificial intelligence accessible at a Fortune 50 company.”
With $100 million remaining to reach its goal, This Is Not a Campaign. This Is Wesleyan. moves into its next phase with sustained momentum—further supporting investments in access, creativity, and the enduring power of a liberal arts education.
“This milestone belongs to our entire community. Every gift represents belief in Wesleyan’s future, and while we’re proud of how far we’ve come, there’s still important work ahead to realize the full promise of this campaign,” said Frantz Williams ’99, Vice President for Advancement.
