During the 2014-2015 fiscal year, WKU received the second-highest amount of donations in WKU’s history. 

Over the course of the year, WKU received $18.3 million in donations from alumni, friends and private foundations. 

This is only the third time WKU has surpassed $18 million in donations in a single year. These donations also included the highest number of gifts from private foundations, $2.6 million, and friends, $4.5 million, or non-WKU alum. The $17.7 million given in cash and the $9.6 million given for student scholarships were also records.

According to John Paul Blair, the associate vice president for Development and Alumni Relations, this year brought in a “remarkable level of support because of the quality teaching and research of our faculty, the national achievements and scholarship awards received by our students and the exciting vision for our future shared by our president and academic leaders.”

Development and Alumni Relations works with alumni to encourage them to give back to the school. The hope is that because of their experiences at WKU, alumni will want to give back to current students.

Andrea Vaughn, a senior from Franklin, Tennessee, said as an alumna she would donate to WKU. 

“The things I’ve been involved in [at WKU] are the reason I’m the woman I am today,” Vaughn said. 

She said WKU provided her with so much more than just a degree.

The staff of Development and Alumni Relations realize many alums feel this way. Through their work with alumni and fundraising efforts inside and outside the WKU community, the staff have ensured the amount of money given to the university has continued to grow.

Because of their interest in the students, a large number of donors this year gave money to support student scholarships, the individual academic colleges and Gatton Academy. The rest of the money will be spent on various campus necessities.

Blair said the increase in donations stirs from the impact WKU has on the region.

“Our service to the region causes many to want to invest and move this region forward,” he said.