Widener Fund

Read about the Promising Future of Daniel Hartney '15.

Widener Fund ~ Promising Futures

All Gifts to the Widener Fund are now designated to support Financial Aid, helping bring a Widener education within reach for our students and giving graduates the financial freedom to pursue their dreams.

• Gifts to the Widener Fund of any amount are greatly appreciated and will be instantly designated to support student financial aid.

• You may choose to specify your gift to go toward the "First Generation Fund" to support financial aid for those students who are the first in their families to attend college.

Leadership Giving Levels

Leadership Giving Levels recognize exceptional cumulative giving to the university. These societies are made up of extraordinary alumni, parents, and friends who, through their generosity, have shaped the university's future.

President’s Council
$25,000 - Chairman’s Forum
$10,000 - Dome Society
$5,000 - Trustee’s Society
$2,500 - John Bullock Society

Trustees' Loyalty Society

The Trustees' Loyalty Society was established to honor those donors who have given faithfully to the university for twenty years or more.

The Society was launched this year to include all alumni and donors who have given $25 or more per year for at least twenty years. New membership is also open to those in the senior class who give any amount to Widener. Benefits of membership include recognition in the Honor Roll of Donors and on the university website, special access and recognition during Homecoming and alumni events, and mementos marking milestone years of giving.

Faculty and Staff Giving

Every day the faculty and staff of Widener show their commitment to providing the best possible environment for students to become the leaders of tomorrow through education, community involvement and leadership.

Many take their support of the university one step further by supporting Widener each year in our Faculty and Staff campaign. For more information or to make your gift, please contact the Widener Fund office at 610-499-1156. You may also make your gift online using our secure server.

Senior Class Gift

After four years of studying and making many great friends and memories, seniors show their pride by giving back to the university through a contribution to the Senior Class Gift.

Matching Gifts

Many companies sponsor matching gift programs that can double or triple your contribution to Widener. Such programs typically match all or a percentage of employee contributions to charitable organizations, making the employer a partner in employees’ personal philanthropy. To find out if your company participates in matching gift programs contact the Widener Office of University Development at (610) 499-4113.

What's New

Communication, Informatics, and Computer Science Building
Construction is moving along at an amazing pace as the building takes shape before our eyes. This new facility will establish Widener as a leader in these fast-growing areas of study.

Promising Futures Initiative
Widener University has taken the lead in addressing the national problem of student debt and now designates all gifts to the Widener Fund to support financial aid.

Campaign Progress
Widener is entering a bold new era, and the support of alumni, parents, and friends is what moves the university forward. We have already passed $54 million of our $58 million goal.

Inaugural Class of Oskin Leaders Named
Sixteen sophomores were selected for the inaugural class of Oskin Leaders. The Oskin Leadership Institute was made possible through a gift from David '64 and JoEllen Oskin and their late son, David.

Widener on the Front Page of the Philadelphia Inquirer
Widener's civic engagement partnerships with Chester made front page news in the Philadelphia Inquirer. Read all about it!

Who Gives

George '92 and Nancy Hassel
George Hassel '92, Associate Vice President for Compliance and Risk Management, and his wife Nancy are longtime givers to the university, but Taking the Lead ~ the Campaign for Widener inspired them to step up their giving and endow a scholarship in their name.

Cynthia Sarnoski '74
Widener Board of Trustee member Cynthia H. Sarnoski '74 , endowed a science faculty fellowship which was recently awarded for the first time to Dr. Hemlata Mistry, who will use fruit flies to engage in research on spinal cord injuries.

Jeanne Gelman, Professor Emerita
A faculty member in the nursing department for 24 years, Jeanne Gelman demonstrates her heart-felt commitment and respect for the mission of the university and its students by giving generously to Widener.

Phil Martelli '76
head coach of the St. Joseph’s University basketball team, credits his Widener education with making him a better student, coach, community leader, and person.

Vito Verni '61
Vito and his wife Marylou are members of the Moll League of the Widener’s Lifetime Giving Society. Induction into the Moll League indicates cumulative lifetime gifts to the university of $100,000 to $249,000.

Tim Speiss '83, '89
has shown his support of the university and students in the School of Business in countless ways, one of the most significant is his creation of the Timothy P. Speiss Endowed Fund for the Promotion of Responsible Global Business Principles.

Steve Wynn '77
maintains close ties to Widener. In addition to serving on the university’s board of trustees and as a member of the Finance and Administration Committee, he generously shares his time and expertise with current students.

Honor Roll of Donors
Thank you to all our donors from FY2012!

Dan Borislow '84
Alumnus Dan Borislow '84 established memorial scholarships to Widener in honor of victims of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

James Mack '85
Jim Mack and his wife Debra Kurucz have given multiple gifts in support of the campaign.

Savas and Liz Ozatalay
School of Business Dean Savas Ozatalay and his wife Liz made the generous decision to endow a scholarship. Their gift will help remove a financial obstacle for a student in need.

Marye O'Reilly-Knapp
earned her doctorate in nursing from Widener in ’91 and later returned to the university as a faculty member.

Why Give

Samina Martin '13
When you give to the Widener Fund, you support the Promising Future of students like Samina Martin '13. Samina is vice-president of her sorority and active in the Pride Mentor Program, where she helps freshmen to get the most out their Widener experience.

Athletics
are an integral part of the Widener experience. Sponsorships and contributions from former athletes, parents and friends of the university are instrumental in keeping our teams strong.

Spencer Ng '15
When you give to Widener, you invest in the Promising Future of students like Spencer. This biochemistry/pre-med student plans on a career as a primary care physician working with low-income patients.

Widener Partnership Charter School
There is no more shining example of Widener University’s commitment to the City of Chester and its residents.

Mamadou Keita '13
When you give to Widener University, you invest in the Promising Future of students like Mamadou. He works full time and earns good grades while taking on leadership roles in several clubs and organizations.

School of Engineering's 150th Anniversary
The university celebrated 150 years of excellence in engineering education with a gala event at the Franklin Institute.