Gifts and pledges to the Annual Fund support four student programs. First, the Annual Fund provides scholarship and merit grants to students who demonstrate financial need—over 90 percent of Wingate students receive some measure of financial assistance. Secondly, the Annual Fund is a resource for community service outreach that places student volunteers throughout the Wingate neighborhood, community and region where students learn the value of service and helping others less fortunate. The third use of Annual Fund gifts is to support our student internship initiative which helps students make informed career decisions by working part time with professionals in the students’ chosen fields of study. A fourth use of Annual Fund monies is to fund international study opportunities for students—global study introduces over 60 percent of Wingate graduates to an immersion experience in another country which is life-changing for many.

Parent Annual Fund

The Parent Annual Fund is supported by current and past parents of Wingate students. Fifty percent of gifts and pledges to the Parent Annual Fund are used to meet traditional Annual Fund goals that directly benefit students through programs of financial assistance, community service, internships, and global study. The other 50 percent of Parent Annual Fund gifts and pledges are used directly in career discovery to further the work of the Office of Internships and Career Development which guides students in their vocational choice and career direction.

Endowed Scholarship Funds

Endowment support is critical to the University’s success and service. Endowed scholarships are created with gifts and pledges of $25,000 and above. The scholarship may bear the name of the donor or be named by the donor in memory or in honor of another person or persons. The principal of the scholarship fund becomes a part of the University’s permanent endowment. A portion of growth and earnings of the endowment corpus is distributed each year as a scholarship grant in a manner consistent with the donor’s wishes as outlined in a scholarship agreement between the donor and the University.

Endowed Program Funds

Not only can scholarships be endowed, but gifts and pledges of $25,000 and above can be made as designated endowments benefiting specific University programs and operations. These endowed funds provide annual income that supports the work of programs and operations as specified by the donor. An example of an endowed program fund would be a gift of $50,000 that generates $5,000 per year in growth and earnings used to further the work of the School of Education, the Department of Music, the library, or to support an athletic team of the donor’s choice. The principal of the endowed program fund becomes a part of the University’s permanent endowment.

Capital Funds

Gifts and pledges from alumni and friends that support brick and mortar projects on Wingate’s growing campus are customarily referred to as “capital funds.” The University is in constant need of capital funds which are used to renovate existing facilities as well as construct new buildings. Wingate’s enrollment has grown 25 percent in three years which has placed significant pressure on campus infrastructure.

The most important need for capital support is a $15 million Health Sciences Center that will house the School of Pharmacy, the Department of Physician Assistants Education, and the University’s School of Graduate and Adult Education. A secondary need is $2.9 million in gifts and pledges to build a new 72-bed residence hall to accommodate Wingate's growing undergraduate enrollment.

Bulldog Club

The Bulldog Club provides support for University student-athletes. More than 450 Wingate students participate on 17 NCAA Division II teams. Wingate is a member of the South Atlantic Conference and winner of the conference athletic excellence award. Helping Hands gifts and pledges provide direct support to team sports. The annual President’s Classic Golf Tournament in Pinehurst yields scholarship assistance for student-athletes. Capital gifts to the Bulldog Club provide the means for improvements to the University’s sports facilities and playing fields.

Unrestricted Gifts

Donors may choose to make unrestricted gifts and pledges to the University. The University president, with trustee counsel, determines the best use of unrestricted gifts to provide as much as benefit as possible to faculty and students. Unrestricted gifts are excellent in that they allow University officials the flexibility to apply the funds in the best way possible for maximum institutional benefit given the University’s needs at the time of the gift.

Friends of the Arts Fund

Gifts and pledges to the Arts Fund directly benefit students and faculty in the performing and visual arts at Wingate. The performing and visual arts include music, art and theater. Arts Fund support gives faculty and students the resources to meet unbudgeted needs in their areas of discipline and training. Arts Fund donors provide supplemental funds to music, arts and drama over and above budgeted resources.

CONTACT:
Vint Tilson
Vice President for Resource Development
(704) 233-8011
tilson@wingate.edu

FUNDS TO SUPPORT