Leadership Giving
Every gift you make empowers students and benefits the IWU community.
Leadership Giving is the backbone of the Titan community. Every gift empowers students and benefits the community. Whether it’s combating climate change, networking with major financial firms, or growing startups with seed funding from spring entrepreneurship competitions, IWU strives to foster creativity, critical thinking, effective communication, strength of character, and spirit of inquiry. By investing in IWU, you contribute to initiatives and programs that address critical challenges facing our world. Together, through your gift, we actively shape a better tomorrow.
Why Become a Leadership Donor?
Leadership donors are those who make a gift of $1,000 or more during a fiscal year (Aug. 1 through July 31). They bridge the gap between annual giving and major giving. Giving at the leadership level opens doors of opportunity for both current and future generations of Titans. Whether you designate your dollars towards scholarships, academics, research, or athletics, annual leadership gifts ensure students are on a path to success and well on their way to having an extraordinary impact on the world.
13%
of overall donors*
42%
of overall gifts*
$3.15
million total gifts*
* for fiscal year 2023
Impact of Leadership Giving
Leadership Giving opens doors for students and provides resources for success. It translates to endless experiences and opportunities. We encourage you to champion our work and support IWU’s mission and needs. Read about the collective impact of Leadership Giving donors and learn how your gifts impact IWU and the broader community.
“I see [Illinois] Wesleyan as an investment in my future. I’m seeing it as… an opportunity to further and better myself professionally, socially, [and] academically so I can be the best educator that I can be.”
— Caleb Klima ‘23
“I graduated in 1973 and am grateful to those ahead of me that made my education possible through small scholarships and other assistance. I will never forget that without such support, I could not have received a college education. I was the first in my immediate family to graduate with a college degree.
I will continue to [donate] each year as long as I can”
— Carol Smith ‘73
Leadership Gift Clubs
Donors who give at the leadership level are part of IWU’s Gift Clubs. These Gift Club donors are recognized in the Annual Report and receive additional donor benefits throughout the year based on their gift club level.
Old North Society
Formerly known as: President’s Club
$1,000-$2,499
Old North Hall was the first and only building on IWU's campus for 15 years. It was built in 1856 and served for 110 years before it was removed in 1966 to make way for Sheean Library, where State Farm Hall now stands.
Hannah Shur Society
Formerly known as: Quadrangle Club
$2,500-$4,999
Hannah L. Shur was the first female graduate of IWU, who received her diploma in 1872. She was the 74th student to receive a diploma from the university.
Phoenix Gates Society
Formerly known as: Phoenix Grove Society
$5,000-$9,999
A set of gates welcoming students, faculty, staff and visitors to campus. These gates are named after the Phoenix Family who sold the land to Illinois Wesleyan University over 165 years ago.
Buck Family Fellows
Formerly known as: Hedding Fellows
$10,000-$24,999
Martha Buck became IWU’s first female member of the Board of Trustees following her husband, Rev. Dr. Hiram Buck, death in 1892. IWU’s first free-standing library holds the family’s name as a lasting memorial to their contributions of time and money.
Rev. Preston Wood Sr. Fellows
$25,000-$49,000
Reverend Preston Wood, Sr. was an invaluable member of the Board of Trustees and served on its finance committee starting in the 1870’s. Rev. Wood’s fundraising prowess and financial astuteness gave the university a strong financial foundation from the beginning.
Becoming a leadership donor means you become part of a community of alumni, parents, and friends who are dedicated to IWU’s standard of excellence and who recognize that your generosity exemplifies a commitment to innovation, growth, and sustainability.