PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Alumni, Friends Continue Generous Support in 2021-2022

The Honor Roll of Giving offers the College the opportunity for gratitude and celebration as we honor our donors. I am especially thankful for the financial support that allows the College to provide a variety of scholarships and grants, knowing how essential the funding is for so many of our students. I identify personally with that reality. My undergraduate education at a small private college was made possible because of a fulltuition scholarship and other grants—and I am grateful daily for the many ways in which that experience was transformative for me as a first-generation college student. The intellectual, spiritual and social growth I experienced there and the deep connections I made with caring faculty and staff continue to enrich my life decades after my graduation. I’ve heard similar stories from so many Titan alumni and friends—the investments in scholarships and grants that make it possible for students to engage in an educationally supportive and stimulating education pay lifelong dividends for those who benefit from them. It’s rewarding to be part of something that is so significant, and I hope you experience that as well.

I’ve been reminded this year that birthdays and anniversaries that end in zeroes or fives seem to have added significance— and the 170th anniversary of the founding of Westminster has rung loudly with such importance, particularly when it arrived during a global pandemic. While we began calendar year 2022 celebrating this big anniversary, we had many other reasons during the academic year to celebrate as well: the dedication of the new Hoyt Science Center wing and the Dar Huey Heritage Center in Memorial Field House; the outstanding URAC program in April that showcased students’ scholarly and creative works; numerous athletic championships and artistic performances; and the graduation of almost 300 Titans in May. Despite the challenges brought by the pandemic, the carillon in Old Main and the Victory Bell rang with joy.

We also celebrated the ongoing, faithful support from alumni and friends. We continue to make progress on strategic goals, enhancing enrollment efforts with enlivened on-campus events and expanded marketing and improving campus facilities. Along with great teaching, support for students from the TRIO Student Success Services Program, Academic Success Center and the Campus Wellness Center have promoted student growth. The international study program has resumed; the

Entrepreneurship Center is thriving; academic programs across the humanities and sciences are forging important community partnerships. Gifts to the Westminster Fund and the Wherever Needed Most Fund helped resource programs, projects and scholarships. We have concluded dispersing the generous gifts offered to the Bring Back the Titans campaign, gifts that helped more than 100 students continue their Westminster education despite the financial hardships the pandemic brought—that’s certainly worthy of celebration and gratitude!

So, as we begin the new academic year, know how deeply grateful I am for your support of our students and the College. Your gifts truly have immediate and lasting impact. As those who have provided support for the College since its founding in 1852 have demonstrated, each gift adds strength and allows the College to move forward with its critically important mission. In our 170th year, it’s a great time to be a Titan! Thank you for helping make that possible.

Gratefully,

Dr. Kathy Brittain Richardson President