Over 4,000 Alumnae "Showed their Love" During the Month-Long Challenge

On June 1, thousands of Wellesley alumnae opened their email and snail-mail boxes to find an enticing proposition: “If 3,300 donors make a gift (of any size) in June, the College will get a $100,000 gift from an alumna trustee.”

In addition to the financial incentive, bragging rights were at stake -- and Wellesley alumnae are a competitive lot! While the $100,000 was a huge motivator for some, others were inspired by a second challenge when Wellesley announced it would count donors by class color, pitting the purple, red, green, yellow, and rainbow (Davis Scholars) classes against each other.

And so began the Love Your Color donor challenge. Almost immediately, friendly color “wars” broke out on Facebook and Twitter and the phone lines were burning up with friends and classmates reaching out—and texting one another—to encourage participation. All eyes were on the Love Your Color website which was updated daily to reflect the leading color. As one Class of 1952 alumna put in it in a letter to Vice President for Resources and Public Affairs Cameran Mason ’84, “The appeals this year have been numerous and creative. We are in Technicolor now.”

Alumnae were asked to “show Wellesley a bit of love” by making a gift before the close of the College’s fiscal year (June 30), and show the love they did. With 4,118 donors in June, the College was able to secure that much needed financial boost of support—the $100,000 gift from an inspired alumna trustee. The competition was close, but in the end the red classes came out on top. Congratulations red classes!

To all alumnae supporters, your love, pride, and team spirit fills us with wonder. Thank you so much for loving Wellesley; Wellesley loves you too!