College of William and Mary

07/23/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/23/2026 07:34

Widespread participation fuels $123.4M year of giving at William & Mary

Widespread participation fuels $123.4M year of giving at William & Mary

More donors step forward in FY26, bucking national trends and expanding impact of philanthropy across campus

(Photo by Timothy D. Sofranko)

The following story originally appeared as an online exclusive for the W&M Alumni Magazine. - Ed.

Philanthropy at William & Mary is defined not by a single gift, but by the collective impact of a community invested in the university's future. Contributions of every size totaled more than $123.4 million in fiscal year 2026 (FY26), making it one of the most consequential fundraising years in W&M's history. This broad support fuels William & Mary's distinct approach to preparing students for leadership in a rapidly changing world.

Generosity from all corners of our community elevated every dimension of the William & Mary experience. These partners - alumni, students, faculty and staff, parents, friends, corporations and foundations - advanced groundbreaking research, transformed facilities, expanded innovative programs and created opportunities for students to learn by doing. Through scholarships and internships, donors opened doors for talented students and empowered them to pursue futures that reflect their values, aspirations and potential.

By ensuring a strong foundation for W&M students, giving in the year leading to America's 250th anniversary upheld the university's legacy of fostering principled leaders since the country's founding.

"Every gift reflects a belief in what William & Mary makes possible," said President Katherine Rowe. "Our donors understand that an investment in this university is an investment in human potential and ideas that can shape the world. We are deeply grateful for their commitment to William & Mary and the future we are building together."

A few examples of that generosity include:

  • 31,522 donors made gifts to William & Mary in FY26, continuing a trend of broad support for the university. Among those were 28,223 donors who made gifts of $250 or less, totaling nearly $2.4 million (proving every gift really does matter). Young Guarde alumni - those who graduated in the past 10 years - contributed over $260,000, topping the previous year's total.
  • During W&M's annual giving day, One Tribe One Day, 14,221 donors contributed over $5.6 million to 1,010 funds across campus, setting a record in giving and participation. Gifts of $100 or less added up to more than $480,000.
  • Alumni of the Class of 1976 broke a record by giving $36 million in honor of their 50th reunion - the largest class gift ever at William & Mary - supporting scholarships and other strategic opportunities across the university.
  • The Class of 2026 set a new all-time senior class gift record with 1,545 donors, representing 89% of the class, taking part in the effort.
  • Planned gifts exceeded $43.7 million, the highest total since the end of the For the Bold campaign in 2020.
  • Corporations and foundations contributed over $17.7 million, funding important initiatives for faculty and students throughout W&M.
  • The overall total of $123.4 million included over $30.3 million for scholarships and internships (the university's highest priority).

Impact realized

Among the year's giving highlights was a transformative investment from W&M Foundation Board of Trustees Chair Darpan Kapadia '95 and his wife, Erica Olan, that will fund a bold enrollment initiative to ensure talented students across the country know William & Mary could be the right place for them.

In February, William & Mary dedicated the Mackesy Sports Performance Center (the Mack) at Kaplan Arena. Thanks to a leadership gift from former Tribe athletes Jennifer Tepper Mackesy '91 and D. Scott Mackesy '91, the Mack is providing athletes with the space, equipment and resources they need to succeed in competition and in the classroom. Soon after the dedication of the Mack in February, William & Mary announced $6 million in gifts to further enhance the W&M Athletics Complex, including support from Jane Thompson Kaplan '56, P '92, G '17, Jill Ellis '88, L.H.D. '16, P '27 and Betsy Stephenson P '27, and the late Garner Anthony '53.

Expanding the university's global conservation initiatives, the W&M alumna whose landmark gift established the Institute for Integrative Conservation has invested another $1.2 million to increase the IIC's impact. The university's VIMS & Batten School welcomed the inaugural cohort of 11 undergraduate coastal and marine sciences majors, backed by full tuition support thanks to a $50 million donation from Dr. R. Todd Stravitz '82 and the Brunckhorst Foundations.

A fully engaged community

Nationally, giving trends in higher education are driven by fewer yet larger gifts. For example, in FY25, 89% of the funds raised by colleges and universities in the U.S. came from just 2% of donors, as reported by the Chronicle of Philanthropy. William & Mary is countering this by democratizing philanthropy and building a broad, inclusive base of support.

In addition to the highly successful One Tribe One Day, memorable engagement opportunities brought W&M alumni, students, faculty and staff, families and friends together throughout the year. Those included annual events such as Homecoming & Reunion Weekend, Yule Log celebrations, Professional Development Week and Traditions Weekend.

The year also featured special engagement opportunities like Women's Weekend 2025, which brought close to 300 alumni and friends to campus in September. The weekend was sponsored by the Society of 1918, which is committed to increasing engagement, leadership and philanthropy and now has more than 700 members.

More than 1,000 alumni and friends attended 50 events across the nation's capital during W&M Weekend in Washington this May. Sean McDermott '98 joined President Rowe for a discussion of how W&M forms people of character and how his time as head coach of the Buffalo Bills shaped him as a person and a leader.

Young alumni donors stepped up in FY26 with challenge gifts from Amanda Lutick '16 and Hodan Seager '18 that helped drive contributions on Giving Tuesday and One Tribe One Day. Young Guarde gifts supported scholarships, W&M Athletics, Student Affairs and the Fund for W&M, among other areas, with an additional emphasis on initiatives that benefit current students, such as club sports, the TutorZone and the HEART Fund.

On the other end of the spectrum, Robert "Bob" Lent '64, J.D. '66, P '99 became the university's longest consecutive donor, with gifts each year stretching back to 1966.

"At William & Mary, we continue to expand the circle of donors who believe this university is worthy of their investment," said Matthew T. Lambert '99, senior vice president for university advancement. "Generosity drives our ability to innovate and open wide the doors of opportunity as we prepare our students to lead the way forward."

Philanthropy driving accolades

Our generous community is helping drive William & Mary's rise toward national preeminence by advancing academic excellence, career preparation and student support - all of which position graduates for exceptional career outcomes. Those investments earned significant national recognition during the past year, elevating W&M's reputation and generating pride across the university community:

Preparing civic leaders

Investment in our students is advancing William & Mary's ability to prepare principled leaders who can meet the needs of their time. As the country prepared to mark its 250th anniversary, W&M launched its Year of Civic Leadership during Charter Day, when former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates '65, L.H.D. '98 began a third term to become the longest-serving chancellor in W&M history.

Donor support is turning into action W&M's commitment to cultivating civic leaders. This winter, a "topping out" ceremony marked progress in the construction of Robert M. Gates Hall, the first academic building to be named in his honor, set to open later this year. Supported by an investment from an anonymous alumna, the renovated building will house a variety of interdisciplinary programs, including the new Robert M. Gates Initiative in American Statecraft, a hub that brings together students, faculty and leaders from across the government and the private sector to tackle the most pressing issues in U.S. foreign policy.

W&M Law School, the first in the United States, continued to blaze trails with the new Center for Energy Law and Policy, supported by private funds and helmed by Mark Christie, a visiting professor and former chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The center serves as a hub for shaping the future of energy regulation. In addition, the law school opened its Community Law Clinic, offering professional experience for law students, with support from Amy Rollins Kreisler J.D. '95 and her husband, Dr. Nevin Kreisler.

William & Mary is also demonstrating civic leadership through its "We the Teachers" initiative funded by a three-year, $2.8 million grant in conjunction with the nation's semiquincentennial. As part of the program, 100 teachers from all 50 states will visit Williamsburg this July 26-30 in an effort to strengthen K-12 history and civics education.

As Chancellor Gates said in his Charter Day remarks, William & Mary is "rooted in the soil and basic principles of American liberty." Thus, the university has a special obligation to help solve the most pressing national and global challenges "as leaders, as public servants, as citizens." Philanthropy provides the resources to fulfill that obligation.

Staff, University News & Media

Tags: Alumni, Gifts
College of William and Mary published this content on July 23, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on July 23, 2026 at 13:34 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]