Today is All in for Wesleyan 2015!  All gifts made today will be matched by an anonymous donor (up to $75,000).

And this year, there’s a twist.  Let me explain.

Gifts to the Wesleyan Fund support student financial assistance and also the little, but essential, things that create the Illinois Wesleyan experience.  So today we’re celebrating these little essentials — the unsung heroes.  Make a gift today and your name could appear next to one of these items for a limited time.*

Give today and your name could be selected to grace the hot spot, the WESN microphone, and other pieces of campus that will be announced throughout the day. (Learn more)

Give today and your gift will be matched by an anonymous donor.

Give today and show that you’re proud to be a Titan!

Juan Salgado ’91 was named among community college grads whose later success – including admission to his top choice school, Illinois Wesleyan – shows the promise of such institutions. Salgado gave Illinois Wesleyan’s Commencement address in 2013.  The full article can be accessed here. 

Congratulations to Juan!

Tom Baffes ’85 was featured in the Chicago Tribune with his father William Baffes, who opened the County Fair Grocery Store in 1964.  The store is a family run business that has served Chicago’s Beverly community for 50 years. Tom’s sisters Christina Steiner ’91 and Katie Coderre ’88 and his son Bill Baffes ’18 are mentioned as well.- from Steve Metsch’s article on Dec 22, 2014.   Here are Tom and William at the family store.

Thank you for reading and contributing to your class newsletter.  I hope you enjoy receiving news about your classmates.  Be sure to let us know when you have news to share!

Homecoming is October 17-19.  Class years ending in 4 and 9 are reunion years.  Our theme this year is Off the Charts. We are focusing on the 150^th Anniversary of the School of Music, with many music themed events.  Join us on Friday night for the Green Carpet Gala Concert & Reception at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts. On Saturday morning, the Titan Pep Band Alumni Reunion will take place on the Quad while you enjoy the free Pancake/Sausage Breakfast. Saturday night, join us in the Young Main Lounge for Club Tommy. Check the brochure or www.titanpride.org for more details. Please register soon!

I look forward to seeing you at Homecoming or another alumni event very soon. – Adriane Powell

Chicago’s TimeLine Theatre, where Elizabeth K. Auman ’91 is managing director, was nominated for multiple Jeff Awards. The Jeff Awards celebrate the excellence in Chicago theater. Congratulations Elizabeth!  http://www.jeffawards.org/home/index.cfm

This summer our family traveled from St. Louis to Colorado. We took some pictures with our IWU friends and family while we were there.  I wanted to share them with you. – Kathy Solodar

#1 – Lisa Subar Fetters ’90 and Kathy Blattner Solodar ‘ 89 in Rocky Mountain National Park.  Lisa and I were best friends and  Elementary Ed majors and in the AOII house.

#2- John Solodar ’91, Kathy Blattner Solodar ’89 and Lisa Subar Fetters ’90 with our IWU banner in front of the Rocky Mountain National Park sign.

#3- Family gathering in Breckenridge, CO.  Three alumni, 1 current student and 1 future student! Kristin Solodar, class of 2017, Becky Blattner Rauff ’83, Kathy Blattner Solodar ’89, John Solodar ’91, Katie Solodar (class of 2024?)

Congratulations to Brad Forsyth ’91! He  has been named a college scout with the Miami Dolphins. From the Dolphin’s Press Release: Forsyth is entering his first season as a member of the Dolphins’ scouting staff after spending the past 20 seasons in various roles with the Buffalo Bills. For the past 18 seasons, he served as a college area scout with Buffalo after being elevated to that role prior to the start of the 1995 season. Forsyth began his career in the NFL in 1992 with the Bills as an intern in the team’s scouting department as well as assisting in coordinating training camp. He was a four-year letterman at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, IL, where he began his career as a wide receiver before moving to quarterback. Forsyth received his undergraduate degree in business administration from Illinois Wesleyan University in 1990. He went on to earn his master’s degree in sports administration from Illinois State in 1993.

More than 5,000 alumni showed their support by making a gift to IWU in fiscal year 2014!

And for the second year straight, Illinois Wesleyan alumni have grown our alumni giving percentage. We are now at 23%!

THANK YOU for doing your part to keep IWU strong.  

IWU’s fiscal year ends TODAY – July 31 – Thank you if you’ve already made your annual gift!

Now help us find the 47 additional alumni donors we need to reach our participation goal by today. Organizations view alumni participation as the metric that measures alumni satisfaction. It affects IWU’s ranking, bond rating, and ability to earn grants, so make your gift today at iwu.edu/give to keep IWU strong!  Every donor counts!