Puget Sound Celebrates Fundraising Success with $22.1 Million Raised in 2025–26

The University of Puget Sound celebrated another year of inspiring philanthropy, with nearly 3,600 donors giving $22.1 million in fiscal year 2025–26. The Puget Sound community came together to support the university and advance its mission of providing a transformative liberal arts education that offers students experiential learning opportunities, expands access to education, and inspires a lifelong love of learning. Among the highlights is the $2.4 million that donors contributed to the Puget Sound Fund, a 14.7% increase from the previous year, alongside strong support for faculty scholarship and teaching excellence.

Puget Sound received several other significant commitments this year, reflecting strong donor investment in the university’s educational mission. These gifts support core access and enrichment programs including scholarships and financial aid, experiential learning opportunities, and the Posse Scholars Program, which provides tuition assistance and cohort support for exceptional student leaders.

“For 138 years, Puget Sound has been committed to increasing access to education, offering hands-on learning experiences, and fostering a lifelong love of learning,” said President Isiaah Crawford. “The fulfillment of this promise is advanced by the incredible generosity of our donors. Thanks to these gifts, we’re able to make a world-class education available to more students, support our dedicated faculty and staff, and continue to serve the needs of our community.”

The Puget Sound Fund’s success includes gifts made by alumni, parents, students, faculty, staff, and friends of the university on Logger Day Challenge, Puget Sound’s annual celebration of philanthropy. Together, 1,226 Loggers around the world rallied to raise $343,160 for the Puget Sound Fund, providing the university the flexibility to respond to urgent and emerging needs.

Donors generously contributed more than $13.6 million in support of faculty and academic programs, including the establishment of two new endowed chairs and a professorship. Major contributions include:

• $8.5 million from the Trimble Family Foundation that will establish two endowed chairs and support research, scholarships, and theme programming; 
• $1.5 million from Professor Emeritus and Dean of Math and Computer Science Thomas A. Davis to establish the Patricia Davis Endowed Professorship in Teaching Mathematics; 
• $500,000 from Judith Florence to support the Department of Economics in memory of Professor Emeritus of Economics Bruce Mann; 
• $500,000 from Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Psychology Barry Anton for the Department of Psychology; and
• $2.6 million anonymous deferred commitment to establish an endowed professorship and fund research in Art and Art History in honor of Professor Emerita of Art Betty Sapp Ragan.

This year, donors pledged $4.3 million in deferred commitments, which enable the university to secure its future and plan for the long term. Gifts from estate plans ensure that Puget Sound can continue to deliver its mission of providing an exceptional liberal arts education for generations to come. These commitments allow Puget Sound to invest in innovative academic programs, faculty support, and scholarships that expand access to deserving students. Some gifts and commitments also provide unrestricted support, allowing the university to use the funds as needed to fund operations and new initiatives. 

Contributions of any amount to Puget Sound enable the university to continue to reach for the heights and realize the goals of its 10-year strategic plan, Leadership for a Changing World. With donors generously giving $22.1 million this past year, the university is well positioned to carry out its proud legacy of preparing students to succeed and lead with courage, thoughtfulness, and creativity.