Washington, PA (October 11, 2023) – Washington & Jefferson College (W&J) today announced it will receive a transformational gift of approximately $50 million to support student scholarships – the largest philanthropic donation to the College in its 242-year history and one of the largest ever to a liberal arts college in the United States.
The generous gift is provided by the estate of Anica Donnan Rawnsley, who became W&J’s first female trustee in 1975 and passed away on August 9, 2023. The scholarship endowment bearing her name will provide need-based support to students from the Washington County, PA, region who enroll at W&J.
“Anica Rawnsley was a schoolteacher in her younger years and believed passionately in the life-changing power of education,” said W&J President John C. Knapp. “She had a bold vision to make it possible for future generations to afford and benefit from a W&J education.”
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