William & Mary raises $77M and is the No. 1 public in U.S. for alumni giving

The university surpasses $350M in scholarships support since start of For the Bold

July 21, 2022
By Jennifer Page Wall

After a record-breaking year in which William & Mary saw its endowment reach its highest level — nearly $1.3 billion in 2021 — the university once again exceeded its fundraising and engagement goals, raising $77.4 million in fiscal year 2022 (FY22). This is the seventh year in a row William & Mary has secured its spot as the No. 1 public university in the U.S. for alumni giving.

W&M’s annual alumni giving rate remains well above the national average for public higher education institutions, which is currently below 10%.

Scholarships support also surpassed the $350 million mark — a goal first established during William & Mary’s triumphant For the Bold campaign. Nearly $50 million of this total was secured in the last two years alone. Scholarships remain the highest philanthropic priority for the university.

“We are grateful for our community’s generosity and support. Loyal alumni, parents, students, faculty, staff, corporations, foundations and friends united to advance what we value most: our mission. That shared sense of purpose propels William & Mary forward in Vision 2026,” said President Katherine A. Rowe, referencing the university’s new strategic plan, launched in February.

“Together, we will address the pressing challenges facing our world and prepare the next generation of bold problem solvers.”

Amid surging COVID-19 cases, inflation and global conflicts, the William & Mary community once again turned out in droves to support students, faculty and programs that rely on philanthropy to thrive, added Rowe.

Other highlights from FY22 include:

Gifts of $100 or less collectively added up to $1.3 million
Planned gifts represented $22.5 million, or nearly 30% of the total secured
Corporations and foundations contributed more than $10 million in gifts
A total of 32,411 donors gave to William & Mary
W&M Athletics has raised more than $33.3 million of its $55-million All In campaign goal
W&M is ranked for the second year in a row the No. 1 public university in the U.S. for internships

Providing a funded internship or other applied learning experience for every undergraduate student is a key priority in Vision 2026. Alumni play an essential role in supporting, engaging and recruiting students as part of the plan’s career initiative. This will be an area of great focus for the university, said Matthew T. Lambert ’99, vice president for university advancement.

In FY22, the university saw approximately 3,000 alumni reconnecting with one another and alma mater over Homecoming & Reunion Weekend. William & Mary also held its first-ever Black Alumni Reunion Weekend and had a record turnout for its annual Traditions Weekend and Professionals Week, where hundreds of alumni networked with one another.

The university also broke ground on the Mackesy Sports Performance Center, which is part of the W&M Athletics Complex. Completing the complex is a top fundraising priority for the university. W&M also dedicated, thanks to private support, the Hearth: Memorial to the Enslaved and the Reveley Memorial Garden.

Hundreds of volunteers from across the William & Mary community played an integral role in strengthening the university’s financial foundation and advancing W&M’s mission, vision and values, emphasized Lambert. From serving on boards and mentoring students to ensuring alumni as well as prospective and admitted students are engaged and connected, volunteers continue to push the university forward.

“William & Mary is a preeminent university and this is credited in many ways to the generosity of our donors who care deeply about our people and want to ensure a vibrant future for our entire community,” added Lambert. “We are grateful for the outpouring of support over the last year, particularly amid so much uncertainty in our world, and look forward to the possibilities that lay ahead as we advance Vision 2026.”