WKU News

“Paying it forward” is a Hilltopper tradition dating back to the beginning of Western Kentucky University. When the fiscal year ended on June 30, 2022, the University completed its most successful decade of fundraising in institutional history with nearly $303 million raised since July 1, 2012.

WKU President Timothy C. Caboni’s leadership has inspired fundraising in the latter half of this decade, with $171 million raised since he took office on July 1, 2017.

“As an institution, we must continually assess and reimagine possibilities for our students and forge creative partnerships as we serve our region and beyond,” President Caboni said. “Philanthropic support plays a critical role in expanding access to WKU and providing generations of Hilltoppers with opportunities that would otherwise fall outside of their reach. This milestone represents the thoughtful commitment of our alumni, donors and partners to ensure the WKU Experience remains attainable and meaningful.”

“We have seen great diversity in giving throughout this decade in all aspects of who made gifts, how they made those gifts and where their support is allocated,” said Amanda Trabue, Vice President of Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement. “Something I find truly inspiring is that we have had several young alumni start giving back immediately upon their graduation from WKU. They aren’t waiting to make a difference in the lives of fellow Hilltoppers.

“There are many ways to make a gift to the University, and donors must explore what best fits their individual circumstances, but I know we can find the best way to help donors make an impact on the Hill,” said Trabue.

One important area of focus has been the WKU Opportunity Fund, a focused campaign to remove barriers to education and ensure every student at WKU can have a full college experience.

“We launched the Opportunity Fund, perhaps our most significant philanthropic achievement, in 2018 to aid students who need financial support the most and established an ambitious goal of $50 million,” President Caboni said. “In less than four years, we surpassed that initial goal and set our sights on a new, $100 million target.

“Thanks to generous private support, we are well on our way to meeting that goal, already eclipsing $70.5 million with 184 new endowed scholarship funds,” President Caboni said. “The Opportunity Fund allows us to be nimble in tailoring financial packages to fit individual student circumstances and to do so quickly as needs arise.”

Scholarship funds, of which the University has almost 1,400, are administered by the College Heights Foundation (CHF). Born from a $100 gift from a faculty member, the idea for CHF began with the goal to help WKU students in need. In 2021, CHF surpassed $100 million in its endowment, as the WKU Family continues to create opportunities for current and future Hilltoppers. Incorporated on July 17, 1923, the Foundation will celebrate its 100th anniversary next summer.

This decade, and especially the past three years, are marked by changes in technology and the ways we meet and gather that have also sparked an evolution in fundraising.

In early 2020, WKU Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement was preparing to launch a Donor Experience Officer (DXO) program where staff could utilize technology to engage with alumni and friends of the University rather than primarily relying on face-to-face meetings. Social distancing requirements of COVID-19 increased the need and use of this platform, making the launch of the DXO program a timely one.

“Learning about the Donor Experience Officer program was a glimpse into the future of how we are connecting today,” said Trabue. “This program allows us to be more intentional in how we connect with donors, alumni and friends of the University, and we are seeing great results so far. We were one of the first to implement this program, and I am excited to see what comes next.”

The success of the DXO initiative also inspired changes to the University’s TopperTalk Program, where student callers reach out to alumni and friends to support WKU. The Student Donor Experience Office (SDXO) Program operates much like the DXO Program, with students making and sending personalized videos to alumni and friends to build relationships based on their interest.

During the pandemic, Zoom became a primary tool for WKU to make important connections while social distancing. Student scholarship recipients and donors met remotely rather than in person at the annual Scholarship Celebration. Increased use and familiarity with the platform also allow individuals to attend meetings or events when travel isn’t convenient or possible, increasing accessibility and creating more opportunities for engagement for all members of the WKU Family.

ThankView, a platform to create and send videos, was first utilized by students to send thank you messages to their scholarship donors in 2020 and is now being used by groups campus-wide as a way to thank donors, promote events and update alumni about campus happenings.

The University has had two previous capital campaigns that were each very successful. The Investing in the Spirit Campaign (1999-2003) focused on People, Places and Programs with a goal of $90 million, and the campaign concluded with a more than $102 million raised. The New Century of Spirit Campaign (2005-2012), which had a goal of $200 million and featured many stand-out gifts, finished with a total of more than $202 million.

“This decade of fundraising, with its record-breaking total, continues the WKU tradition of giving back while also looking forward to new ways to connect, new ways to learn and new ways to celebrate the WKU Spirit,” said Trabue. “We’re already planning where we go from here. We will continue to find new ways to support students through the WKU Opportunity Fund and first-generation initiatives, outline philanthropic opportunities through the forthcoming Gordon Ford College of Business facility and increase donor’s impact through the Bucks for Brains matching campaign through the state.”

Contact: Amanda Trabue, (270) 745-6208.

-WKU-

Western Kentucky University prides itself on positioning its students, faculty and staff for long term success. As a student-centered, applied research university, WKU helps students expand on classroom learning by integrating education with real-world applications in the communities we serve. Our hilltop campus is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, which was recently named by Reader’s Digest as one of the nicest towns in America, just an hour’s drive from Nashville, Tennessee.