Case Study: Walla Walla University
About the Organization
Walla Walla University was founded in 1892 on Christian teachings and values as understood and appreciated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Committed to excellence in thought, the University seeks to impart a broad knowledge of the arts, sciences and professions by careful instruction and open inquiry at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Today, Walla Walla University educates about 1,400 students with an ethnic diversity of 49% on four campuses: its main campus in College Place, Washington; a School of Nursing in Portland, Oregon; and Schools of Social Work and Sociology in Missoula and Billings, Montana.
The Situation
The University was interested in advancing their ability to serve students through programming and increasing access to educational resources overall.
The Goal
To launch a successful fundraising campaign for three major mission-critical transformations.
The Approach
Walla Walla University retained Alford Group to complete a feasibility study for a campaign to fund a variety of mission-critical campus priorities. Alford Group recommended that Walla Walla University move forward with a $35 million comprehensive capital and endowment campaign focusing on the following projects:
- Transforming Bowers Hall from top to bottom to provide a modernized home for the School of Business
- Increasing the University’s endowment to make a WWU education accessible to more students and enable a low- or no-debt trajectory after graduation
- Establishing a new Student Life & Ministry Center to serve as the University’s “living room” and bring together all non-curricular aspects of college life into one modern, welcoming facility
The Results
Alford Group’s guidance and counsel led Walla Walla University to develop a solid campaign plan and implement tailored campaign strategies for its Life. Changing. campaign. A few of the outcomes:
- The University completed the transformation of Bowers Hall, exceeding the $4 million goal for that project.
- It far exceeded its $5 million endowment goal with gifts and commitments of more than $10 million, and raised more than $38 million for the entire Life. Changing. campaign.
- This success represents more than double the amount raised during the University’s prior capital campaign and has heightened the culture of philanthropy across campus.
- Faculty, students and staff now have a greater appreciation for the importance of philanthropy and the difference it makes for the University today and decades into the future.
Alford Group has been honored to partner with the University to provide excellent education and first-rate facilities for students from across the United States and beyond.