Giving

Endowed Gifts

As Wofford’s endowment grows, so does its ability to transform bold ideas into reality for the students it serves. By contributing to Wofford’s endowment, supporters are able to nurture the people, programs and activities they care about with an enduring source of funding. Because the principal is not spent, an endowment is secure for perpetuity. Every gift to the endowment, no matter the size, will allow Wofford College to achieve our greatest goals and to make an impact for generations to come.

Scholarships

One of our highest priorities is attracting the best and brightest students and securing their access to a Wofford education. Nearly every Wofford student receives some type of financial assistance. With the rising costs of education, students use the amount of financial aid available to them as the determining factor in choosing a college. Scholarship support ensures that Wofford remains competitive.

The college offers three opportunities to establish an endowed scholarship:

  1. A minimum of $50,000, payable over up to five years, establishes a named permanently endowed scholarship.
  2. A commitment of $25,000, payable over five years, coupled with a documented estate/insurance plan for an additional $100,000 establishes a named, permanently endowed scholarship. This option offers the donor the opportunity to establish the scholarship with a lower initial gift when it is combined with a generous planned gift.
  3. Alumni 40 and under may establish an endowed fund with a minimum of $25,000, payable over up to five years. This option offers the donor the opportunity to establish the scholarship with a lower initial gift that they can contribute to over their lifetime.

The sky is the limit on the upper end: the greater the fund size, the greater the benefit to deserving students. Recently Wofford has awarded 5% of the market value of each endowed fund, and each fund has grown by a similar percentage annually. There are no upper limits on any endowed funds.

Currently, scholarships endowed at the following levels will produce these scholarship amounts:

  • A $50,000 endowment produces $2,250.
  • A $100,000 endowment produces $4,500.
  • A $250,000 endowment produces $11,250.
  • A $500,000 endowment produces $22,500.
  • A $750,000 endowment produces $33,750.
  • A $1,000,000 endowment produces $45,000.

Endowed Professorships and Chairs

Gifted faculty members are at the heart of an outstanding liberal arts college, and Wofford professors are stellar examples of extraordinary teachers. For over 150 years Wofford has received accolades as an exceptional teaching and learning institution. Wofford expects to remain in the top quartile of undergraduate liberal arts colleges in the nation, but the college must have the resources to attract and retain outstanding faculty by offering competitive financial and academic incentives. Endowed professorships and chairs can help us achieve this goal.

  • Endowed Professorships
    Gift level: $1,500,000 (effective 1/1/25)
  • Endowed Chairs
    Gift level: $2,000,000 (effective 1/1/25)

For more information, visit our Endowment FAQs. If you have an interest in endowment opportunities, please contact the Office of Philanthropy and Engagement at 864-597-4200 or engage@wofford.edu and a gift officer will be happy to discuss possibilities with you.

View a list of Wofford's Current Endowed Funds.