Wesleyan College Approaches 190th Anniversary with Record Fundraising and Enrollment Growth

MACON, GA - A record $23.56 million raised in a single year. The largest incoming class in 15 years. As Wesleyan College approaches its 190th anniversary, two milestones are signaling significant forward momentum. 

     In fact, fiscal year 2026 brought the highest single-year fundraising total in Wesleyan’s history, while its cohort of first-time, full-time students grew by more than 80% in a single year.

     The growth comes at a consequential time for higher education. Small private and liberal arts colleges across the country are navigating enrollment pressures, rising costs,, and increasingly complex financial challenges that have forced almost 100 institutions to consolidate or close since 2020.

     Wesleyan’s trajectory tells a different story.

     Nearly 190 years after it was chartered as the first college in the world to grant degrees to women, Wesleyan is attracting increased investment from both the students choosing the College and the donors investing in its future.

     “This is about much more than two record-setting numbers,” said Wesleyan College President Meaghan Blight. “We’ve been intentional about creating new opportunities for students while strengthening what has always made a Wesleyan education special.  To see more students choosing to be part of this community and more people supporting the work we’re doing tells me there is real excitement about what is happening at Wesleyan. People believe in where we’re headed, and they want to be part of it.”

     Wesleyan’s record-breaking fundraising year comes amid continued progress in the College’s $61 million SHE WILL Campaign - the largest comprehensive fundraising campaign in Wesleyan history. To date, the campaign has raised more than $56 million in support of scholarships and student opportunities, academic and leadership experiences, campus improvements and Wesleyan’s long-term financial strength.

     But, for Vice President for Advancement Patrice J. Williams, the record year represents more than a fundraising milestone.

     “We’re developing meaningful relationships that lead to significant impact,” Williams said. “It’s the faith, the trust, and the camaraderie. Their investment is an outward statement that they believe in Wesleyan; they believe in what our leadership is doing, and they believe in the direction we’re going.  Nearly 190 years after Wesleyan first opened doors for women, people still believe deeply in that mission and are investing in ensuring it continues to thrive for generations to come.” 

     That growing confidence is also evident in the students choosing to make Wesleyan their college home.

     The College’s undergraduate population represents 21 states, while our international students represent 19 countries.  Furthermore, 63% of the Class of 2030 are first-generation college students, reinforcing Wesleyan’s longstanding commitment to expanding access and opportunity for women.

     Behind those numbers are students making an individual decision to choose Wesleyan.

     Camryn Usser ’30 is a biology major who was drawn to Wesleyan for its welcoming campus and the opportunity to play volleyball.  

      “It makes me feel really good to think that we are the largest class to come in 15 years,” Usser said. “I just felt so happy and proud to be a Wolf at this time.”

     For Usser, the philanthropic investment taking place at Wesleyan ultimately represents an investment in the ambitions of its students.

     “I think all the young women that go here are aspiring people who want to become something in the world and who are really trying hard, whether it’s through their sports or through their academics,” Usser said.

     Wesleyan’s fundraising and enrollment results come alongside significant investments designed to strengthen the student experience and position the College for continued growth.

     The transformation of Porter Gymnasium represents one of the most visible examples. The nearly century-old facility is being renovated to provide a centralized home for student-athletes to study, train, and compete, while also expanding spaces for recreation, wellness, intramurals, and campus gatherings.

     The project comes during a period of rapid growth in Wesleyan Athletics. Following its transition to NAIA competition, Wesleyan is now able to offer athletic scholarships, strengthening its ability to recruit and retain student-athletes. In fact, the number of student-athletes enrolled at Wesleyan increased 121% in one year.  And, for the 2026-2027 academic year, Wesleyan expanded its athletic offerings with wrestling, competition cheerleading, flag football, and hockey, with rugby planned for 2027-2028.

     “When the money goes in, you can see how much it gives,” said Maggie Walden ’30.   Pointing to investments in facilities, athletics and academics, she added, “They definitely use it to help the students get better.”

     At the same time, Wesleyan continues to invest in academic and leadership experiences designed to prepare students for what comes next. Every Wesleyan student will have the opportunity to connect classroom learning with a paid internship, research or study abroad experience, while expanded leadership and career-development initiatives through the CEO Leadership Institute and Leadership Lab are helping students identify their strengths and translate their Wesleyan experiences into their future careers.

     Together, those investments reflect an intentional strategy focused on career-connected education outcomes:  ensuring Wesleyan graduates stand out with distinction in a highly competitive job market while demonstrating to industry leaders and employers that the exceptional talent they seek - graduates with proven experience, leadership ability, strong interpersonal skills and future-ready capabilities - can be found right here at Wesleyan.  

     For alumna and donor Betsy Bunte ’68, Wesleyan’s ability to evolve while holding onto the qualities that have defined the College for generations is part of what makes the current moment particularly meaningful.

    “At this moment in time, I see a unique combination of tradition and innovation,” Bunte said. “Tradition is still there, but so is cutting-edge innovation.  The unique programs and new pattern of majors and minors that Provost Dr. Blake has established alongside the faculty offer students a chance to pursue new ideas and discover what they want to do and who they want to be.”

     Bunte’s relationship with Wesleyan stretches back nearly six decades, but the bonds she formed as a student remain very much a part of her life. She still keeps in touch with dozens of classmates, including a group of 12 who gather each February for a reunion at Tybee Island. 

     Her continued support of the College is rooted in that lifelong relationship that began more than 60 years ago.

     “I choose to give back to Wesleyan because she gave so much to me,” Bunte said.

      Chartered in December 1836 as the first college in the world to grant degrees to women, Wesleyan remains driven by the pioneering mission at its foundation: accelerating equality for women.

     “For nearly 190 years, Wesleyan has been willing to imagine a future that others could not yet see,” President Blight said. “The challenges facing higher education are real, and we are not immune to them. But these results demonstrate that there is also tremendous opportunity ahead. Students are choosing Wesleyan. People are investing in Wesleyan. And we are investing in the experiences, people, and places that will ensure Wesleyan continues breaking barriers for its students and alumnae.”

     As Wesleyan approaches its 190th anniversary, the College is looking ahead to what comes next: expanding access, strengthening the student experience, and ensuring that the institution that first opened the doors of higher education to women continues opening doors for generations to come.