Chairs and professorships are awarded to outstanding faculty and provide invaluable financial support to attract and retain the most innovative scholars in their fields. Chairs and professorships draw exceptional students, attract junior and senior faculty, and leverage funding from other sources. These endowment funds can be “named” to honor or memorialize a family member, friend, faculty member, program officer or coach.

Awarded to faculty who have distinguished themselves as academic leaders, faculty scholarship endowments provide support necessary for these promising scholars to remain at the forefront of their field. These endowment funds can be “named” to honor or memorialize a family member, friend, faculty member, program officer or coach.

Book and collection funds advance scholarship and research, enabling the purchase and maintenance of books, maps, electronic resources, and special collections in both the arts and sciences and the humanities. Endowed Book and Collection funds can be “named” to honor or memorialize a family member, friend, faculty member, program officer or coach.

Endowed scholarships attract and recognize exceptional students regardless of their financial circumstances. Your generosity allows students to concentrate on their coursework while also participating more fully in extracurricular programs that will enhance their personal development. The University will work with donors to assign certain preferences or restrictions to endowed scholarship funds. These endowment funds can be “named” to honor or memorialize a family member, friend, faculty member, program officer or coach.

These endowments promote excellence in specific or general programs throughout campus. The donor can choose to support a specific academic department or another program area of interest. These endowment funds can be “named” to honor or memorialize a family member, friend, faculty member, program officer or coach.

As new space is built or existing facilities undergo renovation work, donors are given opportunities to “name” spaces on campus. The living and learning environment at Southwestern is key to the success of the residential liberal arts and sciences model found on our campus. Contact the Development Office to learn about current or upcoming naming opportunities.

SCOPE is Southwestern’s eight-week summer undergraduate research program, providing full-time, collaborative research opportunities for 40-45 students each summer. SCOPE students also participate in professional and social activities to integrate awareness of scientific community across disciplines, and research teams are encouraged to present their findings at regional or national conferences.  

A gift of $5,000 will support one SCOPE research scholar per summer by covering the cost of campus housing and supplies as well as defraying a portion of the faculty stipends that accompany mentoring student researchers. Additional funding allows Southwestern to offer as many as one-third of SCOPE research experiences to underrepresented students.

Professional conferences allow students to gain knowledge and relevant experience that can be applied to their academic and future career growth. In addition, students have the opportunity to share this knowledge with their peers when they return to campus, benefitting the institution as a whole.

Each year, about 25 Southwestern students attend and make presentations at key conferences in their areas of study. Due to limited funding, travel expenses are not covered for all students, nor is travel covered for any international conferences. A $4,000 gift would typically fund either all annual international travel for student conferences or the domestic travel expenses for eight students per year.

The Office of Financial Aid awards these scholarships to qualified students to aid in recruitment and retention efforts. Annual scholarships are unrestricted and may be awarded to students based on merit or need.

Volunteering and learning comprise the dual mission of Spring Breakaway. Students work on projects that benefit communities suffering material or social disadvantages; building relationships with those they serve, students learn about the world’s needs and gain self-understanding.

Costs include lodging, food, transportation and cultural outings. Funding helps offset the cost of the trip and allows more students to experience this opportunity.

Internships allow students to gain insight into their career paths, test different work environments, shape and grow their professional networks, and develop the essential skill sets to thrive in the professional arena. The value of Southwestern’s distinguished liberal arts education, coupled with practical, hands-on experience obtained through an internship, can give our students a significant advantage as they enter the workforce.

Often low-paid or unpaid internship opportunities can deter students from gaining the experience necessary to grow professionally. Summer funding can help cover the supplemental costs associated with pursuing an unpaid opportunity, allowing students to explore potential industries of interest and pursue their passions.

The Office of Intercultural Learning works with Southwestern students to help them integrate intercultural experiences into their liberal arts education and to reflect on their position and responsibilities in the world. Your gift will support students with demonstrated financial need who wish to pursue academic studies abroad. The grant can help with travel, room and board, and program fees. International experience is critically important in the educational and career development of Southwestern students.