Why Giving Matters

Increasing Washington Impact

More than 84 percent of Western students stay and work in Washington State upon graduation. WWU alumni contribute to their communities, support the state economy, and work to protect the environment. The cost of higher education has shifted in the past twenty years from the state to our students and their families. Increased costs mean more students are taking on more debt, a burden for students and families that remains after graduation.

Washington has an ever-growing demand for talented employees in interdisciplinary fields of the new energy economy, engineering and computer science. When you ask our state's largest employers such as Boeing, Microsoft, Amazon and Google, they tell you Western graduates are prepared and immediately productive upon hiring in these fields. Support of students in these programs will help ensure the state has a robust pool of talented leaders, so employers don't have to search out of state to fill vacant positions or take their enterprises elsewhere.

From Western to the World

Western students collaborate with faculty, make lasting connections, and develop innovative solutions to real-world problems. They pursue a high quality education built on a strong liberal arts foundation and graduate from Western as critical thinkers capable of solving complex problems.

Access to knowledge alone is not enough; a well-rounded liberal arts education includes courses that engage students in civil discourse, teaching them to evaluate and challenge the status quo so they can become great community and world leaders. Western will continue to graduate global citizens who inspire change through unique educational experiences.

In order to emphasize continuous improvement on the promise behind Western’s tagline Make Waves, we need financial backing to implement the following essential themes: leadership, global perspectives, sustainability, innovation, critical thinking, and ethical reasoning.