Each year, alumni, faculty, staff and other friends of the university provide critical financial support to Wayne State through Annual Giving. Annual Giving helps underwrite student scholarships and graduate fellowships, campus organizations, classroom and laboratory renovation, instructional technology, student and faculty research, curriculum development and other initiatives.

Every school and college at Wayne State University counts on annual giving to maintain and enrich the educational experiences they provide. By helping improve academic programs as well as the University's resources for teaching and research, your gifts enhance Wayne State's ability to recruit top students and faculty.

Your support of annual giving can go directly to the school, college or program of your choice, or it may be left undesignated to be used by the university in areas of greatest need.

Unrestricted gifts often are given in appreciation for the contribution Wayne State University has made to the donor's lives and the lives of their his or her loved ones. Still others want to ensure that future students have the opportunity to experience a Wayne State education as they did.

You may also wish to make an unrestricted gift in honor of individual alumni, friends, faculty and administrators of the university. Such gifts memorialize these individuals' commitment to the institution.

Many undesignated gifts help support scholarships and fellowships. In this way annual giving plays a critical role in making sure that the deserving students have access to a Wayne State University education.

Some donors choose to endow a scholarship. Endowed gifts are held by the university in perpetuity; their principal is invested, and part of their average annual return is used for the purpose(s) specified by the donor.

Regardless of how and why you give, your contributions make a difference in everything we do. In this time of economic uncertainty and decreasing state support, your assistance is vital. Never before has your gift meant as much to Wayne State University as it does today.

• Make a gift online at our secure Web site
• Mail gifts with a note regarding a designated school, college or program to:

Many employers will match your gift to Wayne State. This means your gift could have double or even triple the impact for the university! Check with your employer's human resources office to see if your company provides matching gifts.

No matter how large or small, every gift is important. If you would like to speak to a Wayne State University Annual Fund representative about a gift or pledge, please contact the Annual Giving Office at (313) 577-2300 or (800) WSU-ALUM. For more information about estate or bequest gifts, call (313) 577-6481.