SCHOLARSHIPS THROUGH UNIVERSITY LEAGUE
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
The University League is a non-profit membership organization founded in 1901. The purpose of the League is to raise funds for student scholarships and to promote volunteer services, educational opportunities, and social activities for its members.
The League has a long history of supporting UW–Madison students. Over the past decade, it has awarded more than $1,000,000 in scholarships and gifts to the UW-Madison community. Funds come from the proceeds of Named Endowed Scholarships, General Scholarship donations, and the annual Stay-at-Home Scholarship Benefit.
The University League’s scholarship and gift program is outstanding among Big Ten Women’s Organizations. In 2025, the League awarded a total of $166,317 from Endowed Funds and General Scholarship donations for scholarships in 2025-26.
We now have 29 Named Endowed Scholarships with a book value of approximately $3,205,000. In 2025 the League disbursed $136,970 in spendable income from these 29 endowed scholarships through the University of Wisconsin Foundation. The destination of these funds is specified by the donor.
In 2025, the League also awarded a total of $29,347 in General Scholarships. This value was divided as follows: $11,736 to the College of Letters & Science; $1,601 to each of 11 other University of Wisconsin–Madison schools and colleges.
Gifts of $450 to Friends of International Students, a University of Wisconsin–Madison affiliated organization, and $1,350 to Great Dane Readers were also awarded in 2025.
SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
There are several ways in which League members and others may participate in funding scholarships and gifts.
1. General Scholarship Fund—These funds, which are disbursed at the end of each fiscal year they are donated, are awarded to 12 UW–Madison Schools and Colleges for scholarships, and to UW–Madison affiliated organizations as gifts. In addition, any balance remaining in the League’s operating budget at the end of the year is added to the General Scholarship Fund.
The University League encourages members and friends to make scholarship donations
- at any time;
- by including a donation when paying dues or event fees;
- by contributing to fundraising projects such as the Stay-at-Home Scholarship Benefit.
Donations may be made in memory of (IMO) or in honor of (IHO) individuals. Checks should be made payable to The University League, Inc. and mailed to:
The University League, Inc.
P.O. Box 5064
Madison, WI 53705-0064
2. University League Centennial Endowed Scholarship — established in 2016 to honor 100 years of giving financial aid to UW-Madison students, this scholarship will generate spendable income in perpetuity. Click here to donate directly to the University League Centennial Endowed Scholarship fund at the UW Foundation. Or mail a check payable to The University League, Inc. to:
The University League, Inc.
P.O. Box 5064
Madison, WI 53705-0064
3. Named Endowed Scholarships (NES)—An endowed scholarship is set up by having the donor work with The University League Endowed Scholarship Liaison in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin Foundation personnel. The endowed scholarship starts earning spendable income when it reaches the threshold (dollar amount) established by an individual University of Wisconsin-Madison school or college. Once the threshold is reached, a Named Endowed Scholarship may be established in the person’s name or In Memory Of (IMO) or In Honor Of (IHO) an individual.
Persons wanting to create a University League Endowed Scholarship should first contact The University League Endowed Scholarship Liaison Sally Lorenz (sallylor67@gmail.com), Scholarship Committee Chair Peggy Wiederholt (peggywiederholt@sbcglobal.net) , or The University League President John Shanda (j2shanda@att.net) will work with you to answer questions and lead you through the process.
To DONATE directly to an existing University League Named Endowed Scholarships Fund, please CLICK HERE.