Wilmington College’s Giving Tuesday Promotion Exceeds $100K goal

Wilmington, OH (December 17, 2025)—Wilmington College’s alumni, campus and greater communities of friends came through big time in supporting the annual Giving Tuesday campaign in early December. Far eclipsing the goal of raising $100,000, gifts totaled more than $155,000.

While donors gave to numerous areas of the institution, this year’s promotion was to support “Travel with Purpose,” student travel funds designed to open doors ranging from serving communities and attending professional conferences to domestic travel and study-abroad opportunities.

“This remarkable Giving Tuesday support reflects how deeply the Wilmington College community values student opportunities,” said Jenn Ramage, senior director of development, noting that donors unlocked every challenge, completed every match and “truly illustrated that purpose can't wait. We are deeply grateful.”  

Highlights included a $25,000 gift from Seth Kittay ‘68 to endow the Kittay Poetry Competition, a matched $5,000 gift from an anonymous member of the Board of Trustees for the WC AgriScience Complex and Trustee Elizabeth Garvey’s (’65) Purpose Can’t Wait Challenge in which her $17,000 gift was unlocked after the first 85 donations to the day’s campaign were secured. Garvey’s generosity was also manifested with her $1,000 matching gift for the Esports Team and when her $2,000 challenge gift for a Spanish Enrichment Fund was unlocked after 20 gifts in support of that travel opportunity were realized.

Also, Sigrid Solomon, vice president/chief student affairs officer and dean of students, issued a successful matching gift in the Mama Sigrid $2,000 Student Life Challenge and a $1,500 challenge gift to the Joshua Keith Memorial Travel Fund was unlocked after 10 donations to that fund. The first $500 donated to the Chad and Amanda McKay Fund for Student Enrichment through Travel were matched by the faculty couple.

Tammy Shadley ’90, vice president/chief advancement and alumni officer, added that Giving Tuesday “reminded us that success is about engagement.” She lauded the alumni and friends that included new donors, consistent supporters and “generous champions” who offered challenges as essential for success. “We also truly appreciate the support from our entire Board of Trustees and strong support from the President’s Council. Through the collective support of the entire community, our students will be able to experience places and possibilities they haven’t yet imagined.”

Article Submitted by Wilmington College