Throughout the past ten years, WashU has established itself as a national frontrunner in fostering equitable access to an exceptional education. We have prioritized financial assistance as a fundamental commitment because we view it as an ethical obligation. Etched in Latin on the exterior of Brookings Hall are the words “If you wish to learn, enter: We welcome you,” and we truly mean that. The realization of our mission necessitates the creation of an exceptional community based on merit, one where all capable students can pursue a transformative education, free from financial constraints.

Inspired by this fundamental belief, we allocated an unprecedented $1 billion towards financial support in autumn 2021. That year, we experienced a financial boon due to an extraordinary and unparalleled return on our endowment. This funding enabled us to adopt a need-blind undergraduate admissions policy and significantly increase resources for graduate scholarships and fellowships as part of an initiative known as Gateway to Success.

In autumn 2022, we formally initiated Make Way: Our Student Initiative, a significant university-wide fundraising campaign aimed at enhancing scholarships and delivering an exceptional student experience. The title “Make Way” emphasizes the necessity to pave a path, removing financial barriers for all gifted and motivated students, regardless of their socioeconomic background. Our devoted and generous university community has rallied in support of this initiative. Since January 2019, alumni, parents, and friends have created 263 new endowed scholarships for both undergraduate and graduate students.

With confidence in the robustness of WashU’s private philanthropic collaborations, we have continued to broaden our institutional financial commitments to students, most recently transitioning to a no-loan undergraduate financial aid policy. This initiative, which is set to take effect in fall 2024, will substitute need-based loans in undergraduate financial aid packages with scholarships and university grants, thus relieving the strain of student debt.

At the same time, our graduate programs have made significant strides towards the goal of educational equity. In autumn 2019, our medical school pledged $100 million to enhance financial aid resources for students seeking medical degrees. As of January 2023, 59% of our MD students benefited from full-tuition scholarships, while 29% received partial tuition assistance. In autumn 2023, our law school implemented a tuition-free policy for low-income students pursuing a JD.

As we commemorate these advancements, we acknowledge that a considerable amount of work still lies ahead in meeting our commitment. Our resources are substantial, but the demand is even greater. To maintain the no-loan policy indefinitely, we must significantly increase our endowed financial resources for scholarships by $325 million by June 2028.

Currently, over half of our financial assistance for students is derived from our operational budget. This limits our ability to pursue the university’s other strategic objectives — remarkable initiatives such as developing innovative cancer treatments and uncovering groundbreaking solutions for environmental challenges. Equally crucial, it restricts our capacity to enhance existing programs and research. In the long run, this model hinders our competitiveness with peer institutions.

As we look ahead, we will emphasize our proven financial framework that focuses on proactive philanthropic partnerships along with the thoughtful and steady growth of our endowment. This strategy will enable us to broaden access and support for students while upholding WashU’s excellence as a center for transformative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

I have faith in the power of our WashU connections. Our community has historically demonstrated a mutual sense of obligation to pass on the university’s life-altering opportunities to upcoming generations of students. This ethos will greatly aid us in addressing our ongoing need for generous philanthropic contributions. Yet, our drive to give back surpasses mere obligation. It originates from a place of warmth and enthusiasm. I challenge you: What experiences and memories from WashU ignite those feelings within you? How might they inspire future impact?

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