What matters most to the University of Wyoming is its students. Thank you for all you do to help them earn their degrees, an important accomplishment on the way to a successful life. And thank you for supporting the invaluable faculty who guide these students.
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, private giving to the University of Wyoming topped $60.7 million, the second largest fundraising year in UW’s history. More than 23,000 donors stepped up to champion UW, with many donors establishing endowments that support UW and its students in perpetuity. The annual donor fundraising average over the past five years is $50 million, and the overall UW endowment now totals $789.5 million—putting UW at the top of Mountain West Conference schools and on par with much-larger universities.
Your exceptional generosity played a pivotal role in this year’s success. Many donors participated in a unique matching program that was created and funded by the UW Foundation Board of Directors, resulting in the establishment of 24 endowed student funds and four named faculty positions—including the university’s third named deanship and the second named department head.
Additionally, the UW Athletics Difference Makers Campaign to renovate the west side of War Memorial Stadium and to build a new pool contributed to the overall giving total, as many devoted Cowboys and Cowgirls fans supported this exciting facility project.
Moreover, this was an outstanding year due to donor support for the Legacy Match program and Giving Day coupled with increased corporate engagement and UW’s unwavering commitment to student success and faculty excellence.
The UW Foundation Board also said goodbye to four amazing individuals who have served with distinction on the foundation board for many decades: Greg Dyekman, Frank Mendicino, Pat Rile, and Roy Whitney. Their devotion to UW is an inspiration, and all have been generous supporters of areas across campus. It’s hard to imagine where UW and the UW Foundation would be without the incredible contributions of these four people. We can’t overstate our gratitude for their role in advancing UW and giving so generously to Wyoming’s university.
The UW Foundation remains dedicated to elevating UW to new heights while diligently managing the university’s private assets. Our success is because of your generosity, and on behalf of the entire university community, we extend our heartfelt thanks. Your investment in the students, faculty, staff, and programs at the University of Wyoming is invaluable.
If you would like to see the impact of your support, visit our website at uwyo.edu/foundation. If you have questions or comments, contact us at (307) 766-6300 or email to foundation@uwyo.edu.
We are so grateful to you. Go Pokes!
We are all striving to support what matters most in our lives—whether that is those
we love or the things we care about. UW students are striving toward their degrees,
which is the gateway to future success.
What matters most to us at the University of Wyoming is supporting those students on their journey, and we would like to thank you for joining us on this mission. It is donors like you who help UW go from good to great!
Your enthusiastic support shows in so many ways—in the number of students who gradate debt-free, the innovative research faculty and graduate students are able to perform, and the ability of UW both to honor our long-held traditions and to adapt to changing times.
This year, private giving totaled $60.7 million from more than 23,000 donors like you, with a five-year annual fundraising average of $50 million. UW’s endowment now stands at $789.5 million—almost a billion dollars! That’s all due to you supporting what matters most. Thank you!
If you had asked Gerry Wyrsch what he considered his greatest accomplishment, he would have told you it was meeting Martha Brown of Laramie, Wyoming. At the time, Martha served on the legislative staff of Senator Alan K. Simpson. The two met in the early 1980s at St. Peter’s Catholic Church on Capitol Hill. It was Valentine’s Day. They would later marry and spend 41 years together.
An effective organization begins with good leadership, and no knows that better than Dave True, who is a trustee of the University of Wyoming, co-owner of True Companies, and a son of H.A. “Dave” True Jr. “I believe UW and our state need to have a strong business school because we need the skill and the economic mindset,” says Dave.
The Gretchen Swanson Family Foundation honors rancher, large-animal veterinarian, and Carbon County legislator Kurt Bucholz with support something Bucholz was very passionate about—ethical water rights management and hydrology research in Wyoming and the West. “Kurt would have been so excited and supportive of this program,” says Laura Bucholz, his spouse.
A gift from retired Shell engineer and executive Tom Botts and his wife Shelley supports the head of Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management in the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences. This gift was matched by the UW Foundation. “Shelley and I are very proud of our Wyoming roots and what the University of Wyoming has given us,” Botts says.
Throughout their careers, John and Sally Steadman have made their professional passion their personal mission—to support students and to help faculty. The Steadmans are faculty members and administrators whose contributions to the University of Wyoming College of Engineering and Physical Sciences are foundational to where it is today.
As an entrepreneur, Neil “Hurry” McMurry knew that creating and running a business meant taking care of others, working hard, and instilling integrity in all that he did. McMurry had profound success in his business ventures. Through his philanthropy, he prioritized giving back to communities in need. McMurry passed away in 2012, but his legacy continues to change Wyoming lives.
Peabody Energy, a leading coal producer, generously donated $500,000 to the UW School of Energy Resources to advance innovation in the field of carbon engineering and management. This significant contribution was further amplified by Peabody’s ongoing commitment to UW through a pledge of one cent per ton of Wyoming coal sold by the company to support these efforts.
In 2022, 6,296 donors from all 50 states and 10 countries gave a record-breaking $4.1 million. Every year, Giving Day is spearheaded by the UW Foundation, and this past year it took place Oct. 19–20, 2022, noon to noon, during Homecoming week. This year’s theme was The Big Give, with more campaigns than ever and more donors than ever.
At the heart of UW’s mission lies an unwavering commitment to nurturing not only the academic promise of its students but also the excellence of its faculty. That’s why the UW Foundation Board generously established two $2.5M matching funds to incentivize gifts for student success and named faculty positions. Endowment gifts of $50,000+ qualify for the matching funds for both programs.
Donors are an integral part of what makes the University of Wyoming great. Motivated
students, dedicated faculty, and exceptional programs—you support what matters most.
Annual GivingAnnual Giving is the only fundraising program of the university that reaches all alumni, parents, faculty, staff , and friends each year to off er giving opportunities for direct support of UW’s colleges, departments, and programs. This creates a vital and dependable source of private support to help the University of Wyoming fulfill its mission to become one of the nation’s fi nest public land-grant research universities. Read stories about the generosity of Annual Giving donors ... |
Gift PlanningMaking a planned gift is a wonderful way to show your support and appreciation for the University of Wyoming and its mission while accommodating your own personal, financial, estate planning, and philanthropic goals. With smart planning, you may actually increase the size of your estate, reduce the tax burden on your heirs, or receive an immediate tax deduction, life income, continued use of gift property, or elimination of capital gains tax. Just as important, you will know that you have made a meaningful contribution to UW. Read stories about the generosity of Gift Planning donors ... |
Corporate GivingSome of the most significant impacts across the University of Wyoming campus have come from the remarkable support of corporations. Gifts campus wide have built buildings, created new programs, and underwritten research that changes the world. Read stories about the generosity of Corporate Giving donors ... |
Foundation GivingFoundations have made such a lasting impact on Wyoming’s students and the colleges, programs, and facilities that support them. Student by student, foundation-supported scholarships have built a wealth of human capital. Read stories about the generosity of Foundation Giving donors ... |
Major GivingUW Foundation directors of development work closely with individual donors and with the university to focus on the priorities of each, helping to guide the significant and thoughtful commitments that have a major impact on the future of Wyoming’s university. Find out more about Major Giving ... |
StewardshipBuilt on trust and transparency, stewardship is the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care, and at the university and UW Foundation, we are stewarding your private giving to the best of our ability. Find out more about Stewardship ... |
“Our success is because of your generosity, and on behalf of the entire university community, we extend our heartfelt thanks.”
