Donors make a difference. They support the mission of Reed to provide a balanced, comprehensive education in liberal arts and sciences, fulfilling the highest standards of intellectual excellence.
When asked why they give to Reed, donors often cite the following:- A belief in Reed College and its mission to provide the best liberal arts education in the country.
- An understanding that without their financial support, Reed could not provide the same rigorous academics, small classes, and overall excellence that it does today.
- A wish to support the programs, people, and campus life that give Reed its unique character.
Explore the stories below to learn more about what motivates Reed’s supporters to give and what their gifts support.
Donors support students every step of the way in 2023
Nearly 4,000 alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and friends made gifts to the college, helping to fund student-professor mentorship, scholarly resources in the laboratory and the library, advisers in the Center for Life Beyond Reed, and more.
Presidential Fellowship enables student to challenge narrative of a house divided
Anthropology major Emilie Kelly ’25 logged 15,000 miles and 106 games of cornhole on her seven-week journey across 32 states.
Mellon Foundation Grant Will Support Environmental Humanities at Reed
The $500,000 initiative will fund new scholarship as well as the creation of courses centered on environmental justice and the literary imagination.
Eliot Society members’ plans reveal the generosity and imagination of Reedies
For generations, bequest donors have entrusted Reed with their hopes and dreams for the college's future. In this report, Reed tracks the guiding language of estate documents to their outcomes—showing how the intentions of donors reach across time and space.
Donors help Reed students succeed in the new normal
Nearly 5,000 alumni, parents, staff, and friends mobilized to support Reed this past year, giving over $4.8 million to the Annual Fund. These donors ensured the college could stay true to its mission, even as it navigated stubbornly uncertain times.
Trustee and Parent Gifts Help Launch Sustainability Coordinator
With the help of trustees and a Reed parent, Rachel Willis will help develop and support sustainability initiatives on campus, including tracking and analyzing energy, water, and carbon usage.
Beckman Foundation brings cutting-edge microscope to Reed
A powerful new microscope will enable Reed biologists to create moving images of living cells with astonishing accuracy—thanks to a $1.2 million award from the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation.
Gifts in Many Fonts and Pen Widths
Calligraphy shows up all over the Reed community, from weathergrams hanging in cherry trees to words of gratitude on gift receipts. Calligraphy has made a resurgence over the last ten years through the dedication of staff and volunteers and the philanthropic gifts that empower their work.