Washburn announces $2 million gift from Jerry and Susan Farley

The Washburn University Alumni Association and Foundation announced today a $2 million gift from retiring President Jerry Farley and his wife, Susan.

     “Our entire lives have revolved around Washburn for the last 25 years, and we are excited to continue serving the University in multiple capacities,” said Jerry Farley. “Throughout my time as president, we have worked on building a culture of giving back to the University, and Susan and I are proud to make this commitment.”

     The $2 million gift is the largest gift from a Washburn president and will support scholarships for students.

     “From hosting student dinners to attending many award ceremonies, it has been a joy to get to know the students and all they have accomplished during their time on campus,” said Susan Farley. “We are excited this gift will go back to help provide students with the solid education Washburn provides.”

     Jerry Farley announced his retirement last spring, and will end his tenure on Friday, Sept. 30. During his time as the longest-serving president in Washburn’s 158-year history, Farley had a significant impact on the campus. He returned the campus to a more traditional college experience by adding multiple residence halls. In addition, he championed the addition of Washburn University Institute of Technology to the Washburn family in 2008. He also led the effort to add new and expanded spaces for teaching and attracted the Kansas Bureau of Investigation Forensic Center to campus which allowed the university to add multiple world-class forensic programs to the academic portfolio.

     “Scholarships make an important difference in students’ lives because they allow them to focus on their education, so it did not surprise me when the Farleys wanted to focus on students while making this generous gift,” said Marshall Meek, president, Washburn University Alumni Association and Foundation. “We are grateful for the significant investment from them and their ongoing commitment to Washburn now and in the future.”

     To celebrate the Farleys’ tenure at Washburn, the public is also invited to attend a retirement reception in their honor from 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1 in the Washburn Room of the Memorial Union on Washburn’s campus. For more information about all events surrounding his retirement, visit https://wualumni.org/farleyfarewell.