Welcome to Society of 1896

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At Wingate University, we make it easy to be a difference-maker. By giving gifts totaling $1,000 or more in our fiscal year (June 1⎼May 31), you’ll become a member of the Society of 1896. Your gifts enable the University to be a laboratory of difference-making, empowering our students to become the next generation of difference-makers and ensuring that a Wingate University education is life-changing for all.

So what’s in it for you? Aside from helping improve your community through education, you’ll receive some tangible benefits as well:

A commemorative gift celebrating your Society of 1896 membership.
Access to member-exclusive communications that keep you in the loop on all things Wingate.
Invitations to member-only events.
Opportunities to meet with faculty members and those you’re helping the most: students.
Special Society of 1896 donor recognition.

More importantly, what do our students get?

More scholarship money.
Better facilities.
More opportunities to use their talents and knowledge to help the local community.
Study-abroad sessions that broaden their minds.
A multitude of opportunities to satisfy their curiosity.

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Questions?

How do you get started?

Make a gift of any amount today, and you'll be on the road to Society membership. It costs as little as $83.33 a month to become a member, and no matter where you direct your dollars – scholarships, the Annual Fund, or the Bulldog Club – it all goes toward your Society of 1896 membership.

The Society of 1896 honors and celebrates our generous and loyal supporters. By being actively involved in our vision for the future, you serve as an inspiration to the Wingate University community. Thank you for creating an exceptional educational experience for our students and helping us provide difference-making opportunities in and out of the classroom.

FAQs

What are the benefits of the Society of 1896 membership?

Society of 1896 members in many ways constitute the engine that is propelling Wingate University forward. Your generous contributions are helping Wingate remain a vital and relevant part of the community and are empowering Wingate’s students to become the next generation of difference-makers.

We realize that it’s nice to receive something tangible too, so the following benefits are afforded directly to you:

A commemorative gift celebrating your membership.
Access to member-exclusive communications.
Invitations to member-only events.
Opportunities to meet with WU faculty and students.
Special Society of 1896 donor recognition.

What funds and initiatives at Wingate must I support in order to be eligible for the Society of 1896?

I've already given you my tuition. Why should I give you even more money?

We love that you earned your degree from Wingate and trust that you had an exceptional time here. The tuition and any other fees (such as room-and-board) that you paid during your Wingate days certainly covered many costs associated with your college experience. But not all of them. Generous donors stepped up to provide much-needed funds for facilities, scholarships, internships, travel experiences and a host of other important aspects of college life while you were a student. Your Society of 1896 gifts today can help current Bulldogs have as worthwhile and life-changing an experience at Wingate as you did.

What's the difference between restricted and unrestricted funds?

An unrestricted fund enables WU to respond to our students’ and campus community’s most pressing needs as they arise. The best example of an unrestricted fund, and the greatest need for the University, is the Annual Fund. But many people like to know exactly where their money is going. That’s fine with us. A restricted fund is earmarked to support a specific program or initiative. For example, a gift made to volleyball will go directly to supporting the volleyball program (one of many worthy beneficiaries, as proven by their 26 conference titles in the past 15 years!).

I’d rather not make a one-time payment of $1,000 annually. Are there other payment options available that make me eligible for the Society of 1896?

How often must I renew my membership after I officially become a member of the Society of 1896?

I am a Wingate University employee. Can I have my monthly contribution taken out of my pay?

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Questions?

Spencer Percy
Director of Development
(980) 434-4184
s.percy@wingate.edu