DWU launches $40 million endowment campaign

Oct. 14, 2026

MITCHELL—Dakota Wesleyan University is launching a fundraising campaign to increase its endowment. The launch of the “Wesleyan. On Purpose.” campaign, aimed at raising $40 million, was announced recently by DWU President Dan Kittle.

Said Kittle in his announcement, “This campaign is a bold commitment to the future of Dakota Wesleyan and to generations of students who have not yet walked through our doors. An endowment is a forever gift. When we place resources in an endowment, we are not simply funding something for today. We are creating a source of support that can serve students for generations.”

The campaign has three key priorities: to increase annual and endowed scholarships to provide greater access and affordability for students; to invest in faculty and staff to provide a meaningful education for students; and to support strategic program funding and campus improvements to ensure that students have access to an environment that supports learning, personal and spiritual development and opportunities to meaningfully gather as a community.

Individuals can make a general endowment gift or establish a named endowment.

Kittle concluded, “Every gift matters. Every person who helps lift DWU up matters. Our goal is ambitious, but I believe it is within our reach. So, together, let's see what we can accomplish.”

Find more information at https://www.dwu.edu/Wesleyan-On-Purpose.