On Tuesday, the 68th anniversary of President Harry Truman breaking ground on Wake Forest’s new campus in Winston-Salem, the university announced that the Wake Will Lead campaign had surpassed its goal of $1 billion dollars. The campaign exceeded its $600 million goal in 2016.
What many students do not realize is the far-reaching arms of the Wake Will Lead campaign and how it has helped to boost the university to new heights — the capital campaign funds scholarships, professorships and building projects across campus.
What pushed the campaign past its $1 billion milestone was a $1.5 million gift from the Arnold Palmer Trust, establishing the Winifred W. Palmer Professorship in Literature in honor of Palmer’s late wife. Over 50 other professorships are funded by Wake Will Lead.
Recent buildings and renovations that were made possible by the campaign include the newly opened Sutton Sports Performance Center and Shah Basketball Complex.
Many students are also able to attend Wake Forest due to the generosity of scholarships under the Wake Will Lead campaign, such as the Byrum Scholarships and Magnolia Scholars.
From a jaded student perspective, fundraising seems like it should often take the back-burner to other pressing problems we, faculty and staff face on a day-to-day basis.
But without fundraising, we would have no problems to face. Fundraising is an important aspect of any university, and it allows Wake Forest to better itself in ways that can improve students’ everyday experiences.
Donors could easily choose to send their money elsewhere, but they choose to send it here, to Wake Forest. While some of us may think of fundraising as silly or frivolous, it remains crucial to our this university’s posterity.
The Editorial Board of the Old Gold & Black encourages students and other community members to take a look at all that Wake Will Lead has funded (in whole or partially). It may surprise you.
