Parent Fund
A page within New Student & Family Programs
Learn more...
By contributing to the Parent Fund, you are providing students with meaningful, transformational opportunities to enrich their experience at UWL by allowing them to explore, engage, and succeed.
UWL Parents, who serve on the Parent Advisory Board, advise the Vice-Chancellor for Student Affairs where to direct contributions made by parents to the Parent Fund.
2024-2025 Parent Fund Recipients
Center for Civil Dialogue and Civic Engagement
The Parent Fund helped supply funding for a more fully catered lunch for the Center for Civil Dialogue and Civic Engagement's Lean-In Lunches. Lean-In Lunches are informal, low-pressure discussion spaces where students, faculty, and staff can gather over lunch to reflect on timely topics connected to campus life, community, belonging, dialogue, and civic engagement. No registration is required, and participants are welcome to attend one lunch or the full series.
Take a Student to Coffee
The Take a Student to Coffee program, supported by Access, Belonging & Student Engagement , is an opportunity for outside-the-classroom connections between students and faculty/staff. The program is designed for a faculty or staff member to invite a student for a coffee, beverage, or snack and use the time to get to know each other better and/or to discuss projects, events, or activities. We hope this program encourages meaningful discussions and the development of lasting mentor/mentee relationships. Informal conversations with faculty and staff can make a real difference in a student’s college experience. Research consistently links positive out-of-the-classroom interactions with stronger connection to campus, greater engagement, and better academic momentum.
Eagles at the Table
Eagles at the Table: Cultivating the Next Generation of Changemakers. Supported by the Leadership and Involvement Center, Eagles at the Table is a cohort-based leadership program that places students as non-voting members on local nonprofit boards for an academic year. Through hands-on board service and monthly leadership development, students gain experience in nonprofit governance while contributing to the community.
Parent Fund Recipients 2024-2025
Student Life Office: The Parent Fund helped the Student Life Office purchase an Eagle plushy for students who visit the Student Life Office. The Office of Student Life frequently interacts with students in distress and, on occasion, students in crisis. Multiple units within the Student Life Office provide support during a time when students need it most. These students were give an Eagle plushy to help calm their nerves. Generally, students appreciated the token of kindness and were excited to have a unique UWL item not sold in the bookstore.
Second Year Experience: The Parent Fund helped sponsor the Second Year Celebration, an event hosted by the office of Second Year Experience, designed to celebrate those students who completed their second year. Programming supplies were purchased to ensure that the celebration was thoroughly organized.
Residence Life: The Office of Residence Life utilized Parent Fund monies to create Welcome Back care packages for Residence Directors to use to connect with students who have been absent from campus for a short time. The program was incredibly successful and Residence Life reported that those students were very grateful and felt welcome upon their return to campus.
Parent Fund Recipients 2023-2024:
Eagle Excellence in Leadership Awards: The Parent Fund helped support the Eagle Excellence in Leadership Awards. These awards are designed to create a moment of reflection, appreciate, and gratitude for the exceptional contributions made by student leaders who enrich our campus daily.
Access Belonging & Compliance: Access, Belonging & Compliance utilized the Parent Fund to encourage students to take a survey, "Hearing from students directly helps us plan effective programming, services, and resources."
Residence Life: The Office of Residence Life utilized Parent Fund monies to implement a pilot program, offering crafting supplies at the front desks of two dorms. The program was incredibly successful and Residence Life is working towards getting craft supplies in all the dorms for this upcoming school year.
Center for Civil Dialogue and Civic Engagement: The Parent Fund partnered with the Center for Civil Dialogue & Civic Engagement and helped fund Social Justice Week. Social Justice Week's goal is to help inspire conversation with research to reinvigorate our lives with realistic and achievable goals to make a change in our communities
Parent Fund Recipients 2022-2023:
Chancellor's Volunteer Service Award: Empowered student volunteerism through assisting with funding the Chancellor’s Volunteer Service Award
Rec Sports: Removed financial barriers to recreational activities on campus for students
Athletics: Improved the nutrition of student athletes through customized education and programming
