On July 17, over 2,500 alumni and friends made gifts to IWU totaling over $450,000. Unless otherwise specified by donors, all the money raised went to student scholarships and financial aid.  The “All in for Wesleyan” challenge began when Illinois Wesleyan Trustee John Horton ’82 and his wife, Joann, offered a gift of $100,000 if alumni and friends could raise $50,000 in one day.  When that challenge was met, several more challenges followed — and each was fulfilled.  Howard ’60 and Sharon ’60 Fricke offered a $10,000 gift if 600 donors participated.  Ed ’62 and Lin Phelps then offered $25,000 for 1,000 total donors.  Korey ’00 and Heidi Coon offered a $15,000 challenge for 1,200 donors.  Dr. Mike Sombeck ’83 offered $25,000 if we could reach 1,500.  Finally, at the end of the day, Dr. Randy ’73 & Jodie Reed offered $25,000 and Ed ’62 & Lin Phelps added $10,000 more to match every new gift, dollar for dollar…up to a total of $35,000 in gifts before midnight.

It was an exciting day to be a Titan.  The challenge became about so much more than numbers and dollars and donors.  It provided our alumni and friends with a chance to share their pride and explain how much IWU means to them.  If you weren’t following these conversations on social media, you can click here to read them now.  THANK YOU to all of our loyal alumni and friends who made July 17 an incredible day for our school and our students.

Message from Ann Harding, Director of Alumni Relations

Thank you for reading and contributing to your class newsletter.  What a great way to build class loyalty and to stay connected.  Reading about each other is great, but coming back to homecoming is the BEST way to reconnect with IWU.

This year, homecoming is October 11-13.  You will be receiving the homecoming brochure in the mail very soon. Plus you can review all the details and get yourself registered on titanpride.org

Our theme this year is A Class Act.  I think you’ll see that everything we have planned this year will offer you a fun filled weekend with most activities free for everyone!!  Class years ending in 3 and 8 are reunion years.

Besides registering for homecoming; I have one more request of you.  I would like each of our 565 incoming first year students to have a welcome letter in their mail box when they arrive on August 20.   Would you please write a note and send it to me at 1001 N. Main St., Bloomington, IL  61702-2900?  Offer this new Titan a piece of advice, something to look for on campus or in the Bloomington Normal community or a fond memory you had of your first semester on campus. Be sure to sign it!  If you’re able, please make several copies of your letter. I need 565 letters!!!

Lastly, thanks to all of you who  made a gift to IWU this year.  I’m sure you have read President Wilson’s messages about the increased need for financial aid to attract the best and the brightest to fill our classes.  Without your generous support to the Wesleyan Fund, we will lose young people who really want to be a Titan, but need more help, financially.

My best~

Ann