Wesleyan’s Greatest Needs

Unrestricted gifts immediately support Wesleyan students and the faculty who teach them. They provide flexible funding that allows Wesleyan to seize opportunities quickly, address unanticipated challenges, and respond to the most pressing core needs. When you make an unrestricted gift for Wesleyan’s greatest needs, you affirm your role as a stakeholder in the University’s future and show your commitment to the success of both current and future students.

Financial Aid

Everyone at Wesleyan wins when students bring diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to campus. We are proud of our longstanding track record of championing access and removing financial barriers to learning. That said, the effort to ensure the availability of a Wesleyan education for the most deserving students, regardless of need, never ends. From providing start-up grants for low-income students to offering aid packages with no loans (beginning in the fall of 2024), Wesleyan is making great strides toward expanding access, but there is more to do. The ability to study, explore, and achieve without the burden of excessive debt represents the best of our shared values – independence of mind and generosity of spirit.

Internships

Internships provide important real-world experience for Wesleyan students, helping them to develop marketable skills, self-confidence, and a deeper self-awareness about the type of work that fits them best. Wesleyan summer grants provide funding that allows students to pursue no- or low-pay career-related summer experiences. These grants are awarded through the Gordon Career Center, with preference given to students who have a demonstrated financial need. For many students, the career-related experiences they undertake with financial assistance from Wesleyan summer grants lead to permanent employment opportunities after graduation.

African Scholars Program

In September 2023, Wesleyan welcomed an exceptional cohort of thirteen students into the inaugural year of its African Scholars Program. Modeled on the University’s long-standing and successful Freeman Asian Scholarship Program, the program reaps the twin benefits of bringing global perspectives to campus, while at the same time elevating Wesleyan’s visibility in Africa, where increasing numbers of students are enrolling in American colleges. Students in the program are supported with dedicated mentorship, faculty advisors, summer internship grants and African alumni networking opportunities.