At University, mentoring is never a one-way exchange. Faculty mentors bring wisdom, perspective, and a willingness to listen. Students bring openness, curiosity, and fresh ways of seeing the world. Each brings something valuable to the relationship, and each is changed by what the other offers.
The Gifts We Offer, our theme for 2026–27, invites us to recognize what we bring to one another. Today, we kick off the 2026–27 U Fund—University’s annual fund—with that idea at its center. Gifts to the U Fund create the time, space, and opportunities these relationships need to grow. Next week, we will share stories from students and their faculty mentors about the gifts they offer each other and what becomes possible when people take the time to listen, learn, and grow together.
What is the U Fund?
The U Fund is the single most important source of annual fundraising income at University. It bridges the gap between tuition and the actual cost of a University education. Gifts to the U Fund are put to work for students in the same year they are received. Because these funds are spent annually, they must be replenished each year. The numbers below offer a glimpse of the programs and experiences the U Fund helps sustain.
Who gives to the U Fund?
The U Fund is supported by the entire University community: parents, alumni, faculty, staff, parents of alumni, and friends of the school. We are proud to share that our faculty and staff have already achieved 100% participation in this year’s U Fund—demonstrating their remarkable commitment to University and the many gifts they offer our students every day.
When should I give?
We officially kick off the 2026–27 U Fund next Monday, September 28, and the campaign runs through June 30.