Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, was the second anniversary of the kickoff of the University’s “This is Not a Campaign. This is Wesleyan” fundraiser. The campaign, which aimed to raise $600 million, was announced during the 2023 Homecoming and Family Weekend.
The oxymoronic slogan was intended to move away from a traditional campaign and sparked jokes and amused reactions from many at the University upon its reveal two years ago. Around $360 million had been donated before the campaign was launched.
“To date, we have raised $488,054,488 for Wesleyan during This Is Not a Campaign. This Is Wesleyan,” Assistant Vice President and Campaign Director Karen Kasprow wrote in an email to The Argus. “Of this total, $127.5 million has been raised since the public launch at Homecoming + Family Weekend in 2023. However, university fundraising efforts contributed to This Is Not a Campaign. This is Wesleyan. began prior to this public announcement.”
While donations have come from many different sources, most of the funds raised have come from alumni.
“More than 75% of the funds come from alumni donors, while the remainder comes from parents and families, friends of Wesleyan, foundations, corporations, faculty and staff, and students,” Kasprow wrote.
Thousands of University community members have donated to the campaign and participated in related events.
“Since the public launch in fall 2023, more than 2,000 alumni and parents have attended campaign events across the country, and nearly 25,000 people have contributed so far,” Kasprow wrote. “These numbers demonstrate strong enthusiasm and momentum.”
The funds from “This is Not a Campaign” have been used for a wide variety of University needs.
“Because the campaign is comprehensive, funds support all areas of the University, including financial aid, facilities, athletics, the Wesleyan Fund, and academic initiatives such as the College of Design and Engineering Studies,” Kasprow wrote.
One particular sector that the campaign has financially supported are a myriad of building projects on campus, including the completed Frank Center for Public Affairs and the Fries Arts Building, and the unfinished new science building.
“A good chunk of it is for the science building…the [Fries Arts Building] is a very cool addition,” President Michael Roth ’78 said.
“This is Not a Campaign” also aims to help with financial aid. The money will continue to help ease the University’s dependence on tuition, and has also funded scholarships such as the African Scholars Program.
“The most exciting things, for me, that we’re supporting really have to do with financial aid scholarships,” Roth said.
However, the campaign’s scope is not wide enough for the University to become need-blind.
“The vision is there,” Roth said. “We just don’t have the money. It takes a lot more money than we’ll raise in this campaign.”
When the campaign was first announced in 2023, Kasprow estimated that the $600 million target would be reached between fiscal 2028 and fiscal 2029. However, the sum might be raised sooner than predicted at that time.
“It is certainly possible that the campaign will reach its $600 million goal within the next year or two,” Kasprow wrote. “While we continue to make strong progress, factors such as the broader economy can influence the timeline. Our approach remains flexible to ensure long-term success.”
The University has a history of large fundraising initiatives, including the “THIS IS WHY” University fundraiser, which raised $482 million between 2007 and 2016. While “This is Not a Campaign” may hit its $600 million objective soon, the University will continue to remain focused on the current campaign.
“Typically, the University takes time after completing a major campaign to assess results and determine future priorities before launching the next effort,” Kasprow wrote.
Spencer Landers can be reached at sklanders@wesleyan.edu.
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