A Message From President and Professor Morton Schapiro

Dear Northwestern Alumni, Parents and Friends:

Giving counts. A lot.

Thanks to the generosity of alumni, parents and friends of Northwestern, our students receive financial assistance, engage in research and learn from some of the best faculty members in the world.

Gifts and income from our endowment, created to a great extent by philanthropic contributions, account for nearly one-fourth of budget revenues.  Meanwhile, the more than 44,000 individuals who make annual gifts to Northwestern deliver essential current-use funds that enable University leadership to push forward in areas of strategic importance, helping strengthen Northwestern’s place among the nation’s great universities.

As those of you who are alumni know, Northwestern is a somewhat unusual place, one that offers remarkable opportunities, a challenging yet supportive environment and an education that benefits a person for a lifetime.  Gifts to the University, regardless of size, help support and maintain that unique combination.

University rankings, issued by some national publications, tend to apply the percentage of alumni who give to their alma mater as a way to measure satisfaction with the institution. I don’t particularly like that metric.  I think there are plenty of our alumni who are engaged in community service, the arts and professions such as journalism and teaching who feel they had a wonderful experience at Northwestern, but who are not currently in a position to contribute to the University.  That’s why the philanthropy of those who have the capacity to contribute is so important in helping support today’s students. 

The impact of your gifts will ripple out from Northwestern and be felt in the world at large, when our graduates put their knowledge and leadership into action, whether it’s in a courtroom or hospital or classroom or an African village or a concert hall.  Northwestern’s dynamic curriculum — made possible with the help of your past and future gifts — prepares our graduates for this good work and engagement with the world.

Best,

Morton Schapiro
President and Professor