Alumni, friends, and supporters of the English Department sometimes ask what they can do to help create opportunities for student learning and faculty development. Their combined financial support has made a significant difference in the quality of our department and in the lives of our students. Donations have enabled us to attract higher quality new faculty, to support student research projects, to grant emergency loans, and to award a number of student scholarships based on merit and need. No matter the amount, if you would like to contribute to our ongoing efforts to make ours the best English Department in Kentucky and beyond, there are several possibilities:

A friend of the English Department may support its faculty, students, and programs by contributing funds for current programs on a one-time or a recurring basis. The simplest way to give is to write a check, but there are other gift options (real estate, for example), all of which are tax deductible.

Or you may create an endowed fund which would allow you to support the programs in perpetuity. With an endowed fund, the gift remains intact, while a portion of the investment returns provides permanent support for the student scholarships or faculty research, travel, or development. The endowed fund will be invested so that it will continue to grow and maintain its purchasing power.

Life income gifts, such as gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, or charitable lead trusts can provide income payments for your life or the life of your spouse or others, and may provide elimination of capital gains taxes, reduction of income tax, and reduction of estate taxes and probate costs.

To arrange a gift or for further information, please contact:

Leslie M. Watkins
Director of Development
1906 College Heights Blvd.
Bowling Green, KY 42101
(270) 745-6993
leslie.watkins@wku.edu

You can also donate through the University's Make a Gift page.  

**The English Scholarship Enhancement Fund

The department has seven endowed scholarships that currently generate less than $3,500 a year in interest. In 2003, an anonymous donor contributed enough money to enable us to increase these scholarships to $1,000 each. This was a one-time contribution, but we hope to be able to keep the scholarships at this level through the generosity of additional donors who want to make a modest charitable contribution as often or as seldom as they wish, and who want to know that their contribution is going directly to students (without the deduction of a management fee).

If you wish to make a contribution, please make your check out to the College Heights Foundation and then designate on the lower left of the check that it is for the English Department Scholarship Enhancement Fund. The Foundation will send you a receipt which may be used for tax purposes. Any funds not awarded will carry over into the next year.

Please send your contribution to the following address:

College Heights Foundation
WKU
1906 College Heights Blvd. #41016
Bowling Green, KY 42101-1016

For more information about this or other ways to contribute, please contact the College Heights Foundation (270) 745-4597.

Our excellence depends on increasing committments from individuals in the private sector who share the University's vision of the future. Your contribution will help to ensure that WKU attracts and retains the brightest students and faculty and provides the best learning experience possible. We are deeply indebted to our supporters for our continued success.