Last year, I penned a Bachelor op-ed to make the case for why students, faculty and staff should join the Day of Giving. In short, Wabash constructs our annual giving day around gifts, so a contribution of any amount can help unlock $500,000 in pledges from our lead challengers.

In addition, Trish and Chris Braun ’81 are renewing the challenge they made to the entire campus last year: They’ll give $20 to the Annual Fund for every student, faculty and staff member who makes a gift on the Day. That’s a commitment of up to $25,000 if the entire campus participates. Chris is a Partner in an Indianapolis law firm and Wabash Trustee who grew up as the middle child, the sixth of 12 kids. As a first-generation student, he’s grateful for the opportunities his Wabash education gave him. That’s why he gives back.

So you have some great reasons to Celebrate Wabash with your gifts on 04.24.24. But in the spirit of thinking critically, more than a few students have asked me, “What happens to the money I give? Where does it go?” I answered the “why,” so allow me to answer the “where.”

Next week on the Day of Giving website, you’ll see a host of affinity challenges where an individual or group “challenges” others to make a gift. Challengers can either match dollars raised or set a goal of a certain number of gifts. When the challenge reaches its goal, they will make good on their pledge.

Affinity challenges can represent any group of the Wabash community. Anyone can lead one for a class, living unit/fraternity, a group of spouses or partners, metropolitan area, field of study, sports team, student club, scholarship fund, memorial fund or in celebration of a professor, coach or student.

With the crucial help of the Interfraternal council (IFC), every Greek student will be making a gift to support his fraternity challenge. I’d look out for the Delts. Their alumni challengers are gunning to reach 700
gifts to their challenge.

Last year, 81% of the money raised on the Day of Giving and through affinity challenges helped us meet our Annual Fund goal. The remaining dollars supported programs like athletics, the Global Health Initiative, Wabash Democracy and Public Discourse and the Malcolm X Institute of Black Studies.

So what does the Annual Fund, well, fund? Often called “unrestricted giving,” the Annual Fund comprises 7 to 8% of the College’s operating budget in four main areas: Wabash’s highest priority, scholarships and financial aid, faculty and program support and student experiences

Admittedly, these categories are pretty broad. That’s because unrestricted funds help Wabash pay for everything from general budget expenses (like the light bill, maintenance and salaries) to immersion trips, internships and scholarships.

The rest of the College’s general operating budget consists of draws, tuition revenue and gift revenue. The endowment is that pool of hundreds of millions of dollars that the College invests. We need it to keep growing and spinning off revenue that’s so essential to endowed scholarships, professorships, chairs and programs.

Every $1,000 we raise in Annual Fund support equals $20,000 invested in the endowment.

As a member of the Annual Giving team, I celebrate my New Year on July 1. That’s when Wabash cycles to a new fiscal year and sets new fundraising goals. With just nine weeks left in FY24, we need to raise $1.62 million to meet our $3.7 million Annual Fund goal. That’s why we’re depending on another successful Day of Giving next Wednesday to help get us there.

So let’s celebrate next week, participate on the Day of Giving and elevate the Wabash experience. And if we head into the last two months of the fiscal year on target to meet our Annual Fund goal, we really have lots to celebrate.

Reply to this opinion at vandivh@wabash.edu