CWU receives $2 million to support students
Contributions to The Wildcat Promise will help Central Washington University students succeed. The donations, totaling about $2 million, came from two trustees of the university, Ray Conner and another trustee who wishes to remain anonymous.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/CWU
ELLENSBURG — Central Washington University Trustee Ray Conner and the Conner Family Foundation made a pledge of $1 million primarily to The Wildcat Promise, providing students with funds that bridge the gap between the aid they receive and their total cost of attendance, and also in support of teacher education.
Once the gift from the Conner family was made, it inspired an anonymous board member to also make a $1 million donation to the fund.
“I think The Wildcat Promise program, which will support students who really need the help, is so important,” Conner said. “We can make such a difference in the lives of students and their families by supporting the program. These Wildcat Promise students can be the future leaders of our state. We want to do everything we can to get behind them and help them believe and succeed.”
The Wildcat Promise provides support to students from the state of Washington, many of whom are the first in their family to go to college, who are eligible for Federal Pell Grants and demonstrate significant financial need.
The funding helps pay for outstanding costs after other aid has been applied, which helps students stay in school and complete their degree in four years.
“I cannot thank Ray and his family, as well as the anonymous donor, enough for this investment in our future,” CWU President Jim Wohlpart said. “These gifts and the others that will follow from additional Wildcats will create a perpetual endowment that will support hundreds of students for decades to come. Commitments like these have contributed to nearly $2.5 million for The Wildcat Promise in just over a year.”
The Wildcat Promise has a goal of raising an additional $10 million in the coming years, which will provide many more students with the chance of pursuing a life-changing education at CWU that might not otherwise have been possible.
“We have over 100 students engaged in The Wildcat Promise program in its first year,” Vice President of University Advancement and Executive Director of the CWU Foundation Paul Elstone said. “Thanks to the Conner Family Foundation and anonymous board donor, this number will increase significantly in the coming years. We hope to increase this number to over 200 students soon, with this program being one of CWU’s highest priority programs to provide financial aid to students, which will create new opportunities for students, their families, and their communities.”
When faced with financial hardship, many potential Central students decide not to attend, and in fact, do not go to college at all. The Wildcat Promise aims to reverse this and ultimately support several hundred students a year to attend and successfully graduate from CWU.
If you are interested in supporting The Wildcat Promise, please visit cwu.edu/give or contact Kenneth Shook at Kenneth.Shook@cwu.edu or 206-795-8260.