This fall, more than 7,000 students arrived on campus to start a new academic year at Seattle University. These students are receiving a distinctly Jesuit and powerful educational experience.
Seattle University’s mission to educate leaders committed to creating a more just and humane world is driven and sustained by our community of alumni, faculty, staff, organizational partners and friends. Your investment in our mission ensures that more students have access to a college education with a challenging, engaging curriculum based on the best Ignatian tradition.
Your gifts, and those of nearly 6,000 other donors during the 2022-23 fiscal year, are fostering growth across our vibrant academic community and propelling Seattle University forward as one of the most innovative and forward-thinking Jesuit and Catholic universities in the world.
Please enjoy this Donor Impact Report for the 2022-23 fiscal year. I hope you see your giving and its impact reflected in the stories and data below and that you feel proud and inspired by what we are achieving together in preparing our students to become the leaders and innovators the world needs.
Thank you for all you do to support Seattle University and our students.
Warm regards,
Eduardo Peñalver
President
5,742 Individuals
233 Organizations
You and other donors are making a difference for our students—and the future of Seattle University—through your philanthropic support. Collectively, the more than 11,000 gifts contributed during the 2023 fiscal year are fostering Seattle University’s growth, helping us fulfill our mission and expand our commitment to our students, faculty, staff and alumni.
Creating transformational leaders takes care and commitment. Mary Jane Brogan, ’09, brings both of those attributes to the Seattle University School of Law as a paralegal and mentor for law students as they conduct their research. Inspired by the power of education and the determination of each student that came to her office, Brogan decided to give back by becoming a Sustaining Supporter, giving monthly to the School of Law Annual Fund for Excellence.
Anthonny Ruiz, ‘23, barely graduated high school. A rough childhood and gang involvement eventually led to multiple incarcerations, before Ruiz realized that he wanted a different path. He decided to pursue higher education. With support from scholarships including the Benjamin N. Dijulio Family Scholarship, Ruiz excelled in classes and gained career experience. Last May, Ruiz graduated with honors.
In early August, wildfires in Hawai’i dominated the news, with heartbreaking footage of the destruction of the historic town of Lahaina on Maui. With over 350 students from Hawai’i currently attending Seattle U, the Hawai’i Student Emergency Support Fund was quickly created to provide as much assistance as possible to students in need. In response, the Seattle U community rallied together to raise $49k to help with housing, travel, academic resources and more.
As the world changes, Seattle University adapts to achieve the mission of empowering tomorrow’s leaders. The Provost’s Discretionary Faculty Support Fund enables faculty to pursue research in alignment with advancing the goals outlined in Seattle University’s Reigniting Our Strategic Directions. The fund was created in 2021, with a generous gift from alumna Brenda Christensen, ‘81, which provided support to launch the Provost Fellows, a group of faculty working to realize key initiatives in four of the five strategic direction goals.
After the success of grant-funded monthly affinity group gatherings for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) educators, Dr. Charisse Cowan Pitre and College of Education Dean Cynthia Dillard pursued creating a restorative retreat that would build community and resources for BIPOC alums working in education. With support from three generous donors, this dream became a reality. The inaugural retreat BIPOC Educator Project took place at Doe Bay Resort on Orcas Island last May. Twelve alums were invited for a week of reflection, community building and rest. The BIPOC Educator Project plans to continue this important retreat annually and to support research in advancing equity in education.
Your gifts allow Seattle University to prepare our students to become the kind of leaders our world urgently needs through an innovative, challenging and engaging curriculum, rigorous faculty research and the promotion of inclusive excellence that enhances students’ experience inside and outside the classroom.
Seattle University’s alumni and friends create a perpetual and lasting legacy of support for the university’s academic priorities. Currently, 540 donor-created endowments provide funding for key programs and initiatives, technology, research, professorships, department chairs and more.
12 new endowments created in FY23
Total distributions in support of university priorities: $13,907,000
The Seattle University Fund provides the university the flexibility to direct resources where they’re needed most. Seattle University Fund donors are vital to maintaining SU’s standard of excellence and supporting the immediate and ever-changing needs of our students, faculty and staff.
$650,058 raised in FY23
22 percent of funds supported scholarships
The Seattle University President’s Club recognizes donors making leadership-level contributions in support of the unique opportunities that shape SU students into the purposeful leaders of tomorrow. During the 2023 fiscal year, 1,500 President’s Club members contributed $13,669,962 in support of numerous campus priority initiatives and funds.
Another great success thanks to generous donors like you!
First-time donors: 1,276
Seattle University’s alumni, donors and friends were inspired to make 3,608 gifts in support of areas closest to their hearts.
$1,780,819 contributed by first-time donors in FY23
1,289 donors made gifts of all sizes to 232 distinct graduate and undergraduate scholarship funds that provide more equitable access to a college education.
Unique Gifts: 4,642
Contributed: $5,725,435
Please consider these opportunities to expand your engagement with Seattle University.
The President’s Club recognizes donors giving $1,000+, $5,000+ (Leadership Circle) or $500+ (for Graduates of the Last Decade) over the course of a calendar year with invitations to members-only events, the distinction of the distinction of the Loyola family crest and more. Join with a gift today or contact presidentsclub@seattleu.edu.
The Seattle University Fund (SU Fund) helps make possible whichever aspect of the university you love most. This versatile fund maintains Seattle U’s standards of excellence, supporting scholarships, student services and academic innovation. Visit seattleu.edu/giving or contact annualgiving@seattleu.edu to learn more about the impact of giving and to make a gift today.
Seattle U Gives is Seattle University’s online day of giving and a celebration of our community's generosity and impact. For 24 hours, alumni, students, parents, friends, staff and faculty all come together to invest in what matters most to them at SU.
Sign up now to be a volunteer SU-pporter! SU-pporters show their SU pride online and share their special SU connection to inspire others to participate in Seattle U Gives and support the causes closest to their heart.
Join hundreds of other donors in creating a lasting legacy to support student, academic or operational priorities. Seattle University can help you align the purpose of your endowment with your philanthropic interests. Endowments at Seattle U can be established with a gift of cash or securities, a bequest or other acceptable donation and may be fulfilled over a five-year period. Learn more about establishing an endowment at Seattle U by contacting stewardship@seattleu.edu
Many loyal alumni and friends choose to make a gift through a will or beneficiary designation. Having a gift plan in place that fits with your overall financial goals can be a generous and tax-savvy way to provide for yourself and your family, while leaving a legacy with lasting impact at Seattle U. Learn more by contacting Gift Planning.
Looking for ways to stay connected with SU? The Seattle University Alumni Association (SUAA) is for all alumni, working to foster lifetime relationships by providing opportunities for professional growth, learning, engaging and serving the community alongside past, present and future Redhawks. Learn more about how you can stay connected by visiting this page.
Thank you for all the ways in which you support Seattle University.