Thanks to generous support from alumni, parents, and friends, Arts & Sciences surpassed our Leading Together campaign goal.
Seven years ago, at the outset of Leading Together: The Campaign for Washington University, Arts & Sciences set a goal to raise $275 million to help develop innovative research and teaching, attract world-renowned scholars through endowed positions, and offer more students the opportunity to become part of our exceptional community of thinkers and leaders. With the help of our many generous donors and tireless volunteers, Arts & Sciences has achieved all of its campaign goals and more.
We surpassed our original goal of $275 million by over 5% for a total of $289,857,246. We created 34 new professorships to help us recruit outstanding faculty, and we invested in five of our core academic buildings. The scholarship program raised an astonishing $93 million, far exceeding our original $66 million goal. The A&S Scholarship Program now houses 527 scholarships, supporting 643 exceptional students.
$93 million in new scholarship funds
Scholarship recipients in Arts & Sciences come from across the world and embody the promise for a better future that a university education represents to so many high school students. Mikayla Frye, the Bobber Family Scholar has used her scholarship as an opportunity to give back, working with children living in poverty in St. Louis and abroad. “Actions speak louder than words,” she observes, and scholarship sponsors “help our actions be louder than words.” Scholarships also support campus leaders like Michael Collins, the Patrick J. Abegg Memorial Scholar, who serves as the first social justice chair of his fraternity, in addition to working with campus organizations that combat sexual violence on campus.
“If I could say something to my sponsor I’d like to say thank you for investing in my future. Without you I wouldn’t be able to do any of the things I’ve done at WashU so far, and I’m so grateful for all the support you’ve given me.”
—Sherri Gardner, AB '17
The Sanford and Karen Loewentheil Scholar
34 new professorships
Endowed professorships enable Arts & Sciences to attract and retain the leading researchers who are the foundation of a vibrant university community. These positions recognize extraordinary achievement both in the quality of teaching and the impact of scholarly research. In Leading Together, Mike and Tana Powell committed support to provide four professorships in chemistry and issued a professorship challenge, in which Arthur Krieg participated, to create additional endowed positions. Professor Gary Patti, a world-renowned expert in metabolomics, was installed as the first Michael and Tana Powell Associate Professor of Chemistry.
"The nature of science is interdisciplinarity. In my lab, we have students from computer science, molecular biology, genetics, and engineering ... This creates a really great educational experience for everyone, including me."
- Gary Patti
The Michael and Tana Powell Associate Professor of Chemistry
Renovated and renamed facilities
The campaign allowed us to embark on the first portion of a 25-year vision to transform research and teaching across Arts & Sciences. The recently completed renovation of Bryan Hall provided campus with a hub for interdisciplinary chemistry research. A gift from Harry and Susan Seigle led to the creation of Seigle Hall, which houses several social sciences departments, including economics and sociology. Scott Rudolph provided funds for Scott Rudolph Hall, home to earth and planetary sciences. In recognition of a generous commitment from Nick and Barrie Somers, the Psychology Building will be renamed Somers Family Hall.
