2023 Willamette University Donor Impact Report

Thank you for turning knowledge into action.

for leading and inspiring. THANK YOU

Learn how you supported...

Pacifc Northwest College of Art — Page 2

Computing and Data Science Program — Page 4

College of Arts & Sciences — Page 6

College of Law — Page 8

Willamete MBA and Business Major — Page 10

Our purpose can be stated simply: Willamette exists to provide its graduates, through education in the liberal arts and professional practice, the skills and capacities they need to be active and efective participants in the common project of building stronger communities and a better world.

And while the same could be said of many higher education institutions, what sets us apart are our three commitments — to service, to action and to access. They are intrinsic to who we are and what we do, and it is what you are investing in here at Willamette.

pathways for even more of the interdisciplinary opportunities that Willamette is known for. As we are striving to develop a technology workforce trained to think ethically and creatively, we now have groundbreaking undergraduate and graduate programs in data science and computer science that will begin to shape future careers, industries and ideas in the Pacifc Northwest and beyond.

YOU’RE CHANGING LIVES — AND OUR STUDENTS SAY “THANK YOU.”

Because of you, today’s Willamette students will become tomorrow’s entrepreneurs, educators, artists, authors and leaders around the world. In this report, you’ll meet a few whose lives have been changed forever by the experiences you’ve provided.

YOU’RE HELPING WILLAMETTE EXTEND ITS REACH.

Thanks to you, Willamette can build innovative programs at the nexus of the arts, humanities, design, law, management, and computer and data science. Because of you, Willamette recently announced the creation of a new School of Computing and Information Sciences. The new school will create

As a direct result of the merger with the Pacifc Northwest College of Art (PNCA), you’ve also ensured that students on campuses in Portland and Salem have broader access to enriching courses and interdisciplinary faculty outside of their academic and artistic concentrations.

Thank you for helping Willamette advance its position as an intellectual, cultural, social and economic driver for the Northwest. You help us do what Willamette does best: connecting liberal arts education to real-world practice to ensure that our students have the multidisciplinary knowledge to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges.

You’ll meet a data science student who is sharpening his skills and fnding community as a tutor; a frst-generation college student who hopes to take her business acumen to Hollywood; a student who is thriving at the College of Law with the help of a faculty mentor; a student who continued their Willamette education after some life challenges interrupted their studies; and an artist who had a formative learning experience abroad. There are thousands more stories like these at Willamette, all made possible by you.

Thank you for sharing your gifts with Willamette to provide access and opportunity to students who will lead the way in building a better world.

You helped Emily sharpen her artistic eye

As a Portlander, Emily Thomas BFA’24 grew up with PNCA as an integral part of her cultural life, and it was always her dream to attend art school. In high school, she even had a few exhibitions at the college.

After starting school at Portland State, she still dreamed of transferring to PNCA. Thanks to you, and support from the PNCA Bridgetown Scholarship and the Transfer Scholarship, her wish came true.

Emily’s main passion is creating surface designs for textiles. While at PNCA, she’s taken several classes that have helped her strengthen those

skills. One of her favorites was Assistant Professor Zach Rau’s course on Digital Media Strategies. “He gives great feedback,” Emily says. “He’s honest without being mean. He really wants to push students forward.”

In Assistant Professor Zach Meyer’s Advanced Illustration Studio, Emily began to fnd her ft in a creative career. His class deepened her interest in color and material design, helping her integrate both with her illustration abilities. “Illustration is inspiring me to move into other felds,” she says. “There are so many avenues.”

Emily has also been nourished by the larger

PNCA community and has had her artistic eye sharpened by critiques from her peers. “Artists are nothing without their community,” she says. “I think it’s really cool to be able to bounce ideas of of other students.” Another formative experience included a semester abroad in Belgium at the LUCA School of Arts in Ghent, followed by visits to the Centre Pompidou in Paris, and art in

Prague and Vienna after her semester was over.

Though she’d love to live abroad someday, at the moment Emily is applying for internships in Portland and would love to work in the footwear industry.

She’s thankful for your support. “PNCA has been a great ft for me, so I really appreciate the help that scholarships have given me,” she says.

PNCA has been a great ft for me, so I really appreciate the help that scholarships have given me."

PHOTOS: Danielle Peterson Photography

You showed Thomas that there’s strength in numbers

Thanks to you, Thomas Sato BS/MS’25 received the fnancial aid he needed to come to Willamette and study Data Science. Being close to home attracted Thomas to Willamette, and the distinctive 3+1 dual degree Data Science Program was right in line with his career dreams.

Now that he’s on campus, he’s involved in many activities, including as a tutor and member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity. It’s helped him see how important the help of others can be. “I think the motto kind of shines for me,” says Thomas. “At

Willamette, I’ve learned that it’s OK to ask for help you might not want to ask for.”

Thomas helps students develop quantitative reasoning skills in the Center for Quantitative Understanding, Analysis, and Design (QUAD).

When classes require students to work on large projects, “a lot of people come to the center at once, and we all work on it together, which is a great thing,” Thomas added. Thomas also works embedded in classrooms, helping students troubleshoot any errors with their code, among

other skills. He hopes to continue to tutor both in classes and at the center as he completes his dual degree.

“I thought Willamette was a really great place to get my bachelor’s and master’s degree in a short amount of time, and it has proved to be a great opportunity,” Thomas says. He especially enjoyed a project mapping out the top 20 Portland-area

intersections with the highest number of reported car crashes.

Thomas believes the dual degree program will enhance his career prospects after college. “I think the master’s degree will give me a leg up in competition in terms of getting a career I would enjoy and feel fulflled in,” he says.

''I thought Willamete was a really great place to get my bachelor’s and master’s degree in a short amount of time, and it has proved to be a great opportunity."

PHOTOS: Danielle Peterson Photography

You helped Em chart a path back to Willamete

When looking for a college, Em Eide BA’23 didn’t want to have to compete in one of those 300-person lecture halls.

Thanks to you, Em was able to join Willamette’s supportive environment.

“I’m really thankful that graduates take a second to remember the university they attended and be mindful of the students that are still going here,” says Em.

Em’s path at Willamette was not a straight

line, complicated by a leave of absence and the pandemic, but coming back in 2021, Em was buoyed by the support of faculty, loved ones, and even the love of a pet cat.

Em’s advisors have both been extremely helpful — and not just with navigating academics. Psychology Professor Mark Stewart “has always been around to help with any questions — even outside of psych. Just how to exist in the world,” Em says. “My other advisor, [Spanish Professor] Maria Blanco-

Em gives back to Willamette and the Salem community by volunteering for a mutual aid organization called Free Fridge Salem, which distributes food to a network of fridges around town, and serves as a peer mentor at the College Access Navigators, a support program for students

with ADHD and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Em is also working with Professor Stewart on an internship to create an assessment of the program. After graduation, Em hopes to work with neurodivergent individuals before applying for a doctoral degree.

Thank you for helping Em chart a path back to Willamette.

Arnejo, is also an amazing person and kind and compassionate.”

I’m really thankful that graduates take a second to remember the university they atended and be mindful of the students that are still going here."

PHOTOS: Danielle Peterson Photography

You opened the door to Robin’s legal education

Robin Hopkins JD’24 was interested in attending Willamette, in part, thanks to a course for prospective students led by Professor Karen Sandrik, Associate Dean for Faculty and Professor of Law.

The topic was contracts, something Robin admitted hadn’t immediately appealed to him. Professor Sandrik “was going through a contract, redlining it, talking about the language within it, talking about the ambiguities of it,” he said.

Thanks to Professor Sandrik’s ability to make the content accessible, Robin said he found the subject compelling. “I realized Professor Sandrick

was someone I wanted to know, wanted to be in a room with and have the opportunity to learn from,” he said.

After applying to and eventually receiving acceptance to several law schools, he was still uncertain about actually attending.

That all changed, however, when he heard from Willamette. “I remember opening my email from Willamette, seeing my scholarship award and thinking ‘oh, this is going to happen — I’m going to law school!’” Robin says.

Soon after becoming a student, Robin began pursuing relevant work he’s passionate about —

public interest law. In his frst year, he worked with the ACLU as a volunteer intake investigator. He then externed with a Bend-based watchdog group focused on land use, while also serving as a legal fellow through Oregon Sea Grant. He writes for Willamette Law Online and serves as Secretary for Willamette University Public Interest Law Project.

One of the most meaningful ways Robin said his life has changed since going to law school is access. “People recognize your commitment. People hear

you out and want to help you way more than when I was not in law school,” he said. “The amount of doors that open to you as a law student is one of the things that’s surprising. I kind of felt on the outside of many things I had wanted to be in on for many years,” Robin said.

Robin said he wants you to know that law school would not have become his reality without your fnancial support. And because of you, he’s able to pursue public interest legal work without the fear of graduating with mountains of student loans.

I remember opening my email from Willamete, seeing my scholarship award and thinking ‘oh, this is going to happen — I’m going to law school!’”

PHOTOS: Danielle Peterson Photography

You supported Gianna every step of the way

For Gianna Marchese BA’22 MBA’23, a frstgeneration college student, you made more of an impact than you might ever know.

Going into the last year of her MBA program at Willamette’s Atkinson Graduate School of Management, Gianna can see your support everywhere she looks.

“You’re in a classroom with people in many diferent situations fnancially, with their homelife or societal norms. Your support can mean so much to somebody. It makes me want to do the same for others when I’m able,” she says.

Gianna landed at Willamette in fall of 2019 as a

sophomore. While still a frst year at a university in Washington state, she knew she wanted to change schools.

She ended up getting in touch with the softball coach at Willamette, who connected her with admissions the same day. “They made me feel super welcomed,” she says.

At that point, Gianna knew Willamette was where she wanted to be.

“Willamette has shown me that being part of the community and being part of the campus life is really important,” she says. She’s worked on campus, is involved in Greek life, plays on the

PHOTO: Danielle Peterson Photography

school’s softball team, has completed internships all while succeeding in school. She also serves as Vice President of Atkinson Marketing Association.

Gianna says the culture of community refects Willamette’s motto.

“It really encompasses how we are seriously in this together — being involved in so many things on campus, you feed of of others and that is what Willamette is designed for. The way the classes are set to be rather intimate and for us to succeed in

the best way,” she says.

Following graduation from Atkinson, Gianna plans on moving to Los Angeles to pursue a career in marketing in the flm industry. The skills you helped her develop at Willamette will carry her there.

“Donors do things to support people they don’t even know out of the kindness of their hearts and it speaks wonders to their character,” Gianna says. “And I want to say a big ‘thank you’ for that.”

Your support can mean so much to somebody. It makes me want to do the same for others when I’m able.”

A Conversation with Shelby Radclife

Vice President for Advancement

leadership circle program. We’re seeing a combination of support for the Annual Fund that invests in the students today and the endowment that invests in the students of tomorrow.

today. This year, donors made $10.7 million in new endowed scholarship commitments and that means more students will always have access to a Willamette education.

Willamette had a record year for giving this year. What’s the signifcance of that for you?

From past surveys, we learned a large percentage of our alumni had a positive experience and found their education really benefted them, which was great. But we also heard loud and clear that people didn't know as much about what was going on at Willamette or the vision for where the institution was going. We put more efort into our communications and outreach, and I think people are hearing the news, fnding the vision compelling and coming forward to help it succeed.

It's exciting for us to see such a diverse community of donors showing up for Willamette and our students every year. It includes everything from payroll deduction contributions from employees, to the frst gift from a graduating senior, to parents who are delighted at their child’s experience, to friends of the arts, and our graduate and undergraduate alumni.

The gifts themselves are also diverse with all levels of support for the graduate and the undergraduate colleges. We had the largest number of $1 million pledges this year, 30 new members joined our R.A. Booth Society, which recognizes planned gifts, and we’ve had a wonderful response to our new Annual Fund

The commitment of the entire community puts energy and momentum behind our ability to champion our students and develop them as future leaders, and the ambition to provide the best education of the Pacifc Northwest.

Why is the Annual Fund so important to Willamette?

Fundamentally the Annual Fund helps Willamette be accessible to the brightest students who want to come to our university. With a strong Annual Fund, we can build an incredible community of students and scholars who learn and grow in an environment where they are wrapped in our motto. Without the Annual Fund, many of those students would not be able to receive the level of aid to choose to attend Willamette and be part of the Willamette family. It’s an essential part of our mission.

Say a little more about the endowment and why that’s important.

Willamette’s endowment is an expression of generations in the past investing in the university, and gifts to it today are hope for the future. Combined, they ensure that we can continue to deliver the best possible educational experience. Willamette's frst $1 million campaign was more than 100 years ago. Since then, our endowment has served generations of students, withstood economic ups and downs, and allowed us to evolve and continue supporting students of

Willamette has also grown the number of volunteers dramatically in recent years. Can you talk about the diference they make to the University?

We see volunteers as an extension of our team, as they make so much more possible than we could do on our own. They are insiders and partners in developing and supporting important programs that make a world of diference to our students— everything from enrollment, career advice, internships, and mentoring to participating with faculty in teaching. They also play a vital role in nurturing a real sense of family in the Willamette community through supporting programs across the country and reunion weekend, and by building afnity programs such as our Heritage Club, Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD), Alumni of Color, the WU Sustainability Network, Women in Business, Politics & Policy, LGBTQIA+, Arts, Parent & Family Forums, and more. The Willamette community overall is more engaged and invested thanks to the work that these volunteers are doing.

We also know that there are many volunteers out there that are informally helping us by promoting Willamette to prospective students and in their communities. Those actions are also incredibly valuable and welcomed. We regularly hear that a student was introduced to Willamette by someone they know in their community.

Your Impact

OUR COMMUNITY OF DONORS

5,286 DONORS

553 FIRST TIME DONORS

$27.1M RAISED

PLANNED GIFTS $19.7M

ANNUAL FUND $2.6M

68% Alumni

975 VOLUNTEERS

Alumni, parents and friends gave their time and talent during the 2022-23 school year.

GIFTS BY DESIGNATION

9%

17% Parents Friends

4% Faculty/Staf

2% Corporations/Foundations

1,409 DONORS

MADE GIFTS

81% Endowment

9% 10%

Current Use Restricted Annual Fund

LESS THAN $100

TOTALING $63.4K

ANNUAL FUND IMPACT

The Annual Fund makes an immediate impact and this year provided the equivalent support of a $57.6M ENDOWMENT