There’s a saying, “It takes a village…” At Ursinus College, it takes our entire Bear community. The fiscal sustainability of the college derives from the generosity of donors as well as prudent financial management and spending. Our philanthropic partners inspire greatness from our students by supporting their life-changing educational journeys—from the moment they enter the doors of the Schellhase Commons, to long hours in a lab of the Innovation and Discovery Center, to time abroad spent learning a new language or culture, to those final steps across a stage as they accept their undergraduate degree. Side by side with our students, our benefactors are there every step of the way.
Unlock the door to opportunity, and an Ursinus student will kick it open to make the most of all that awaits on the other side. Emily Bradigan ’23 is doing just that. She is an English and theater design and technology double major, a course of study that she self-curated.
Dane Harwood P’12 and Amy Uhrbach P’12 are proving that we truly are “One Ursinus.” They are proud Ursinus parents and, although their son Alex has long-graduated, they remain actively engaged with the college and are ever-passionate champions for the power of a liberal arts education.
Joan Abele And Will Abele '61 (Left) With Kay Kerper Schellhase '57 And Members Of Her Family
A Place to Come Together
As Ursinus sought to move past the socially isolated nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, events for alumni, parents, and our campus and local communities were reopened for in-person attendance. Our Bears showed up! More than 1,800 alumni and families came to campus for Family Weekend, Homecoming, and Alumni Weekend. Additionally, the Schellhase Commons—our new campus gateway—was officially dedicated for Richard T. Schellhase ’45 and his wife, Kay Kerper Schellhase ’57, thanks to a generous donation in their name by Will Abele ’61, Joan Abele, and the Abele Family Foundation.
A Culture of Giving
It starts with awareness. Awareness grows to action. Action leads to results. Philanthropy Week was piloted for the first time from March 28 to April 1, 2022. It was five days of celebrating the impact of giving on Ursinus College and helped to raise awareness of its vital importance. During that week, 73 donors gave for a total of $13,500. Philanthropy Week led up to our 2022 Bear2Bear Benefit & Bash, held in person for the first time since its inaugural year in 2019. That event separately raised more than $250,000 for the Bear2Bear Student Emergency Fund, with 230 people in attendance.
Advancing Student Research
Claire (Bagley) Russell and Robert W. Russell have felt the positive impact of an Ursinus education through Claire’s mother, the late Jane Stephen Bagley ’35, whose legacy they chose to recognize with the establishment of the Jane Stephen Bagley ’35 Student Summer Research Fund. The fund will provide stipends for students to engage in summer primary research opportunities, specifically in environmental studies, or the sciences more generally. “Ursinus probably became more important to my mother than most students, as she had no one; her family was gone by the time she was 17 years old,” says Claire Russell. “Her strengths of determination, initiative, and resilience successfully propelled her through Ursinus, the Great Depression, World War II, and her life. We felt this fund would be the perfect way to honor her memory and the value she placed on higher education, the sciences, and a sustainable future.”
