Senior Family Capstone Gift

Together with revenue from tuition and income from the endowment, gifts to the Kenyon Parents Fund support every element of the student experience, allow us to care for our historic campus, support faculty and staff — everything that makes Kenyon, Kenyon.

You may direct your gift to the Parents Fund to the area of greatest need, or support specific areas that are meaningful to your family; Scholarships/Financial Aid, Student Life, Athletics and Fitness, Mental Health Resources, Student Success Funds, and more. 

Each year on Founders’ Day, Kenyon celebrates the unbroken line of people who, since 1824, have built the College’s strong foundation, from Bishop Philander Chase and his benefactors, to the alumni, parents and others who continue to give today. Throughout more than two centuries, Kenyon has relied on the generosity of this community. 

Now, with Kenyon in its third century, the liberal arts taught here are needed more than ever. Today’s students learn critical-thinking and writing skills, and the judgment to navigate a rapidly evolving world that needs nimble, thoughtful leaders and problem solvers.  

We invite you to make an immediate impact by creating an 1824 Scholarship to support one of the nearly 1,400 students who receive some form of financial aid. Your commitment of $40,000 or more, payable over the four years of a student’s experience, will create an operating scholarship for a talented student, making a meaningful difference in their ability to come to Kenyon. 

In recognition of the vital role donors play in sustaining Kenyon, with the creation of this operating scholarship, it can be named for you or someone you wish to honor or memorialize. 

Continuing to grow Kenyon’s endowment, which is modest compared to our peers, will provide permanent, renewable income, reducing the College’s dependence on tuition revenue. 

Like a 401(k), endowed funds are invested and a portion of the earnings can be spent each year. When an endowed fund is created, Kenyon and other non-profit organizations commit to preserving the principal donated in perpetuity. Kenyon’s endowment contains more than 700 distinct restricted funds that have been designated to a specific purpose by donors — such as endowed professorships, athletic excellence, internship support and more. It also has a large unrestricted portion, the returns of which can be spent in alignment with college priorities. The vast majority of endowed funds support scholarships. While the threshold to create new endowment is $100,000, gifts can be made to existing endowments at other levels.