$1 Million Cardinal Challenge Exceeds Expectations

Last month members of the Cardinal community joined together to secure an additional $1 million for financial aid for students during Wesleyan’s $1 Million Cardinal Challenge. The success of the challenge provided a strong finish to Wesleyan’s THIS IS WHY fundraising campaign, which came to its close on June 30.

The Cardinal Challenge was funded through the generosity of John L. Usdan ’80, P’15, ’18, ’18, who pledged $500 for financial aid for every gift of any amount to any Wesleyan cause received during the month of June, for a total of up to $1 million for financial aid. The challenge inspired 2,831 Wesleyan Fund gifts for a total of $3,178,864—plus the additional $1 million from Usdan.

“As an institution, we’re lucky to have such consistent and generous donors who understand how important their giving is to the lives of students,” said Chuck Fedolfi ’90, director of annual giving for the Wesleyan Fund. “And it’s extra-special when someone like John Usdan steps forward to inspire our alumni and parents with such a generous challenge.”