The Right Choice for Your Success

Commemorative Gifts

The WIU Foundation offers many avenues for those who wish to associate the name of a family, an individual, or a company with a project of enduring worth. Some examples of commemorative gift opportunities include:

New Building, Major Wing or Addition, Rooms, Roads or Plazas

A gift that pays for all or the major portion of construction costs. Each instance is individually reviewed in accordance with University policy. Naming a building or major addition requires the recommendation of the President and the approval of the University Board of Trustees. Naming for a donor can only be considered when the gift commitment is at least 51 percent of the construction cost. The naming of academic programs shall be acceptable only upon provision of substantial program costs (over 51 percent) provided by the donor unless exception is made in advance by the President of the University with approval from the University Board of Trustees.

Endowed Chair: Minimum Endowment $1.5 million

The highest honor that can be bestowed on a faculty member, an endowed chair, provides salary and additional resources to fund graduate assistant salaries, secretarial help, course development, and traveling expenses.

Distinguished Professorship: Minimum Endowment $500,000

A distinguished professorship assists the University in attracting and retaining top faculty by supplementing existing departmental support. Income from this type of endowment provides a salary supplement, graduate assistant stipends, secretarial help, and travel expenses for an outstanding faculty member.

Professorship: Minimum Endowment $250,000

Income from an endowment is made available to outstanding faculty members to help further their work in teaching, research, and public service.

Undergraduate and Graduate Fellowships, Faculty Development, Research, or Awards, Visiting Scholars, WIU Foundation Scholars, Named or Memorial Scholarships, Business or Community Outreach: Minimum Endowment $25,000

The Foundation will work with donors to create opportunities to support areas of the donor’s greatest interest. These areas include support of a specific college, department, scholarship, event, or any other campus entity.