We Will. Celebrate!

We did it.

Thanks to a community of alumni, parents and friends from around the world — 174,380 to be exact — We Will. The Campaign for Northwestern brought in an awe-inspiring $6.1 billion. Donors gave a total of 626,796 gifts of all sizes to areas across the University through the ambitious fundraising initiative, proving that every gift really does matter.

COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE

“We are extremely grateful to our community of generous and dedicated supporters who invested in Northwestern through the Campaign and helped the University achieve new heights,” says University Trustee Paula B. Pretlow ’77, ’78 MBA, “We Will” Campaign co-chair. “Our collective support will continue to propel our students, faculty and staff forward and shape the Northwestern University of tomorrow.” 

The Campaign also was highlighted by a series of transformative gifts. In 2015 the University received its first gift of more than $100 million, from Roberta Buffett Elliott ’54, followed by landmark commitments from Louis A. Simpson ’58 and Kimberly K. Querrey, the Patrick G. ’59, ’09 H and Shirley W. Ryan ’61, ’19 H Family, and the Pritzker Foundation. 

Students take research samples from the mummy that was featured in The Block Museum exhibition Paint the Eyes Softer: Mummy Portraits from Roman Egypt. Credit: Essi Ronkko

Additionally, the University announced in September 2021 a $480 million gift from the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Family — the largest in Northwestern’s history. (See “Ryan Family Caps Off Campaign with Extraordinary Gift.")

“The ‘We Will’ Campaign has, without a doubt, elevated Northwestern’s standing among the world’s preeminent research universities,” says University Trustee T. Bondurant “Bon” French ’75, ’76 MBA, co-chair of the “We Will” Campaign. “Now is the time to continue our remarkable progress toward excellence, which we will do by leading the charge toward a more equitable and just society, expanding opportunities for our students to learn and thrive in a rapidly changing world and accelerating breakthrough research and innovations that serve society,” he adds.

Significant Impact

Gifts raised during the “We Will” Campaign are providing vast opportunities for Northwestern students and advancing programs across the University.

A total of 37,825 donors gave $436.3 million toward financial aid, including $235.3 million for undergraduate scholarships, and created 534 endowed scholarships and fellowships that will support generations of students. Northwestern has significantly increased financial aid for its undergraduate students — from $106 million in the 2010–11 academic year to $209 million in 2020–21 — and eliminated loans for undergraduate students.

Graduate student stipends also were increased to enhance the quality of life for graduate students. The University Fellowship rate rose from $20,928 in 2010–11 to $33,504 in 2020–21, and the Graduate Assistantship rate rose from $21,576 in 2010–11 to $33,504 in 2020–21.

Ali Shilatifard, left, director of the Simpson Querrey Institute for Epigenetics at Feinberg School of Medicine, and his team study the epigenetic mechanisms underlying the development of disease.

International student scholarships expanded during the Campaign too. Nineteen new endowed scholarships for international undergraduate students were created as part of the Buffett Matching Challenge for International Student Scholarships, a matching gift challenge supported by Roberta Buffett Elliott ’54.

A total of 90 endowed professorships were created as well, helping the University to attract and retain top faculty across a wide range of disciplines — from screen- and stage-writing to biomedical engineering.