Building on Strength: Davidson College Celebrates a Year of Purpose and Progress
July 28, 2026
- Author
- Danielle Strickland
A record fundraising total for The Fund for Davidson annual giving program. A 90 percent increase in WDAV Public Radio weekly listeners. More donors than each of the last two years, who collectively gave more than $87.5 million. A top three national finish in alumni giving participation, increasing our rate and reaching nearly 40 percent. A top three ranking and highest recorded engagement numbers to end the year.
This year, Davidson College launched the D.G. and Harriet Wall Martin Institute for Public Good to prepare ethical, effective leaders for the world. The campus dedicated a memorial to honor the enslaved and exploited individuals who built its foundation. In athletics, Davidson celebrated its first-ever WNBA draft pick and an A-10 conference championship in lacrosse, the first in a women’s sport. Meanwhile, construction reached the halfway mark on a renovated library built to reimagine collaboration and learning. And, because of incredible generosity this year and over generations, the college announced a continued commitment to access: families with an income of $85,000 or less receive a full scholarship; those with an income between $85,000 and $175,000 attend tuition free.
It was a memorable, extraordinary year, thanks to the alums, families, friends and partners who believe in the value of a Davidson education and the impact of Davidson graduates in communities around the world.
Every year has a great deal of good in it, and this year was no exception. We talked throughout the year about building on Davidson’s strength. That began with our core educational mission of preparing 2,000 students for leadership, citizenship, and meaningful careers and service. We sent the Class of 2026 into a society that needs their gifts and talents. I’m grateful to serve as president at a time as important as this in our history, and I am excited for the ways this college will make the world a better place because of the leaders we send out into it. Thank you for investing in our people and our shared purpose and for making Davidson a humane and excellent place to live and learn.
The college remains in the top three nationally for engagement, further demonstrating the strength of the Davidson network. In fact, 80 percent of young alums engaged with the college in some way this year, too. Members of the community attended hundreds of in-person and virtual events — from dinners to receptions to sporting events, networking gatherings, virtual “back-to-school” classes taught by alums and more — building new connections and fueling existing ones.
New initiatives moved these relationships further, still: the inaugural Women of Davidson Alumnae Weekend in Isle of Palms, South Carolina; the first Queer Alumni Weekend in more than two decades; new career-specific initiatives like Mission Collaborative and the Chat With a ’Cat series, which help guide and support alums of all ages and stages.
Among the fundraising highlights, $47 million was raised in new commitments for the Martin Institute, $18.6 million for scholarships and more than $7 million for Davidson’s 21 Division I athletic programs. Davidson families gave $18.5 million to initiatives across campus. Reunion classes reached nearly 50 percent giving participation, with gifts totaling more than $32 million. Included in that were two classes that celebrated records: The Class of 1966 set a new record for a 60th reunion, and the Class of 1971 set a new record for a 55th reunion. The landmark results carried over to Davidson’s newest alums, too. Senior Class Gift celebrated 78 percent participation, the highest total since the pandemic.
“The numbers matter, of course, but the impact those numbers make in the lives of our incredible students is what makes this year important,” said Eileen Keeley ’89, vice president for college relations. “Our donors and volunteers bring selfless generosity and genuine passion to everything they do, and that kind of loyalty and dedication creates a community of collective impact. Thank you for showing up, investing in and caring about Davidson. I feel lucky to be a part of our shared work each and every day.”
Impact by the Numbers
Celebrating extraordinary support, participation and engagement across our community.
National Recognition
Top 3
Nationally for giving participation and engagement
Generous support benefiting programs across the entire college community.
Achieved through landmark support from dedicated donors to The Fund for Davidson.
Participation Benchmarks
Includes 76% of contactable alums and 73% of current families
Reunion gifts total $32 million
