Telephone campaign 2022

Each day, every year, we witness and celebrate the transformative power of philanthropy here at Wadham. The College was created through the generosity and vision of Nicholas and Dorothy Wadham in 1610, and every generation of students since has benefitted from the on-going benefaction and shared vision of alumni and friends. That is a remarkable and inspiring testament.

Oxford’s tutorial system is second to none, as you know: it enriches students’ academic lives and career prospects considerably. However, the annual cost of educating and housing a Wadham undergraduate student exceeds course fees and charges, leaving the College with a significant financial shortfall.

Philanthropy plays an essential role in helping us to bridge this gap, and provides current and future students with the same educational opportunities that you experienced.

As well as helping us to provide an exceptional education to each cohort of students, alumni support enables the College to open its doors to more exceptional students from a diversity of backgrounds, fulfilling academic potential and further raising our standards of academic excellence.

Last year, over 270 alumni gave generously to our telephone campaign, helping us to raise nearly £236,000 over a five-year period.

Gifts from alumni include recurring gifts (monthly, quarterly or annually), single donations and legacy donations (leaving money or gifts in your will). All donations received, from modest to major ones, play a fundamental part in enabling Wadham to fulfil its educational mission, and support these funding priorities:

• Student support – No student should have to compromise their academic potential because they cannot afford to study at Wadham. Alumni support helps us to ensure that every student, whatever their socio-economic background, can focus on their academic demands and achieve their personal potential. It also enables us to provide student welfare assistance.
• Our Access to Excellence programme – thanks to the generosity of alumni, we are able to offer thousands of students from disadvantaged backgrounds tailored support and guidance every year, and these efforts are making a genuine difference.
• Scholarships for graduate students – Wadham’s scholarships support world-leading academic research and reflect Wadham’s ethos of encouraging diversity by providing opportunities for the best and brightest graduate students, regardless of background or nationality.
• Fellowships and Facilities – Wadham’s outstanding Fellows and facilities are the foundation for both excellence and access. Our world-leading scholarship is at the heart of the College’s mission and the key to success in teaching, research and wider global impact. Our inspirational environment enables us to share that wealth of learning with schools that we partner with, undergraduates, graduate students and alumni.

We hope you will consider supporting Wadham students by making a gift in this year's telephone campaign. If you’d prefer, make a donation online instead of over the phone; alternatively, email us if you would like a donation form and return envelope.

Feel free to drop us an email or a call if you'd like any information about how and where your support can make a difference. Thank you for speaking to our student callers and for supporting Wadham.

William Parry, Individual Giving Manager

Read about the transformative impact of alumni support on students' experiences.

Interested in leaving a legacy to Wadham?