WesternU community comes together for students and surpasses Giving Day goal
Western University of Health Sciences (WesternU) exceeded its Giving Day goal during WesternU Giving Day 2026, an annual 24-hour fundraising challenge that united the community around a shared commitment to student success.
Originally launched with a goal of 100 donors, the campaign concluded on April 28, 2026, with 111 online donors, surpassing expectations and demonstrating strong engagement across the WesternU community. The campaign raised $18,465 in online donations, with additional gifts from other sources surpassing a total of $25,000 – showing how community can come together for a common cause and make an impact.
WesternU Giving Day emphasized the importance of philanthropy in supporting students as they prepare for careers in health care for both humans and animals. While health care professionals are widely recognized as heroes, the campaign highlighted the critical role donors play in helping students become the next generation of health care professionals.
“WesternU Giving Day was an opportunity to reset as a community, and to reopen our doors—both literally and figuratively,” said Steve Gomez Pedroza, Interim Vice President of External Affairs. “By welcoming colleagues and partners to Anderson Tower for a meet-and-greet with our advancement team, we were able to reconnect, rebuild partnerships, and reaffirm our shared commitment to student success. The success of WesternU Giving Day shows what’s possible when we come together with a common purpose—to support our students and invest in their futures.”
Throughout the 24-hour challenge, donors demonstrated that contributions of every size add up to meaningful impact. Funds raised through WesternU Giving Day directly support student-centered priorities, helping ensure students have the resources they need to thrive academically and professionally.
“We are incredibly grateful to every single person who participated in Giving Day,” said Julianna Jaynes, Annual Giving and Mid-Level Giving Director. “Your generosity directly supports our students and helps remove barriers so they can focus on their education and future careers. This success belongs to you, our supporters.”
The momentum generated by WesternU Giving Day 2026 reflects a growing culture of engagement and generosity across the University community. With additional contributions still being processed, WesternU looks forward to building on this success and continuing to invest in student success.
For more information about how you can make an impact all year long, visit https://www.westernu.edu/give. To connect with the University Advancement team, email giving@westernu.edu.
