Gustavus Fund
The Gustavus Fund is the annual pool of gifts that sustains the College’s mission-driven work. Built up through the collective generosity of the entire community, the Gustavus Fund supports every area of the College. Gifts are put to work immediately — right where they are needed most — to support today’s Gusties. On Give to Gustavus Day 2025, Gusties were shining at the annual giving dady to benefit the Gustavus Fund.
The Gustavus Fund supports...
Scholarships and Financial Aid
Gustavus provides financial assistance to over 90% of our students, 70% of whom receive need-based financial aid. That means, after tuition checks come in, there is still more than $9.2 million left to cover for our students' education. That means your support to the Gustavus Fund is vital to recruit and retain the best and brightest Gustavus students.
Instruction, Academic Support, and Research
We are incredibly proud of our small student to faculty ratio, small class sizes, the latest and greatest in technology and teaching tools, and the many opportunities for faculty-student research and collaboration. The Gustavus Fund plays a crucial role in supporting our award-winning faculty members and, in turn, our students.
Student Services
Your dollars to the Gustavus Fund continually support enhanced educational programming that make Gustavus the place to live, learn, and of course, have a little fun. Student Service departments are funded out of The Gustavus Fund including the Counseling Center, the Center for Inclusive Excellence, Health Service, the Registrar’s Office, Residential Life, Student Activities, and Athletics, just to name a few.
Institutional Support
What keeps the campus operating so professors can teach and students can learn? All of the departments that are responsible for supporting the College, but not directly considered student services, which are Institutional Advancement, the President’s Office, Human Resources, and the Finance Office.
Public Service
The Gustavus Fund is proud to sustain the programs, conferences, and activities that make Gustavus an exceptional place, and not just for our campus community, but for the local community and any visitors who might come visit. We are proud to help make possible the Nobel Conference©, the Arboretum, and much more.
Scholarship Support
Scholarships make Gustavus accessible to talented students of all backgrounds, enabling them to focus on their studies, achieve their academic goals, and help them build a firm foundation for the future.
At Gustavus, we're dedicated to ensuring that every aspiring student can access the transformative education we offer. A key goal of our strategic plan, we aim in the coming years to fully meet the demonstrated financial need of all students. To do this, we need your help.
You can make a gift to support scholarships at Gustavus in any amount, or you can choose to establish a named Endowed Scholarship ($50,000+) or a Heritage Scholarship ($12,000 over 4 years).
Designed to attract bright students with the highest need, Heritage Scholarships are a crucial part of these students’ financial aid. With a commitment of $3,000 per year for four years, you can provide a deserving first-year student with a scholarship that will stay with them throughout their entire Gustavus journey.
Endowed Scholarships generate annual income to provide need-based support for deserving students and can help increase access to a Gustavus education. By reducing the financial burden on students, endowed scholarship can help students focus on their studies and achieve their academic goals.
Named Scholarships ($50,000+) may be established in one’s own name or in honor of another person. Restricted endowed scholarships ($100,000+) are designed to target specific academic majors or other criteria.
Academics
Investing in faculty and academics is one of the most powerful ways to shape the future of Gustavus. When you support faculty and academics, you’re directly fueling the heart of a Gustavus education—and empowering the next generation of thinkers, leaders, and changemakers.
When you support Gustavus academic departments, you're investing in more than just programs – you're investing in the future of our students. Your generosity provides vital resources in the classroom, engaging experiences for students, and enriched opportunities for learning, ensuring every Gustie receives a transformative education that prepares them for a dynamic world.
At Gustavus, our exceptional faculty are the cornerstone of our academic strength. We empower their dedication to teaching, scholarship, and mentorship through various avenues. This includes comprehensive support from the Kendall Center for Engaged Learning, direct funding for research and creative scholarship, and the establishment of endowed faculty positions that provide lasting resources for their invaluable contributions.
Athletics
Supporting Gustavus athletics means investing in the development of student-athletes who excel both on the field and in the classroom. Your gift provide essential resources like updated equipment, travel opportunities, coaching support, and improved facilities that enhance the experience for every athlete. When you give to athletics, you're not just backing a team—you're empowering students to grow, compete, and represent the Gustie spirit with pride.
Behind every successful student-athlete is the support of G Club. As a G Club supporter, you can play a pivotal role in the continuing success of Gustavus Athletics by providing the financial assistance needed to improve and maintain the quality of our athletic programs. Our goal is to do academics and athletics better than any private liberal arts college in the country.
Varsity Sports enable student-athletes to compete at the highest level. Supporting a specific team, either with an outright gift or a gift to the endowment, fuels opportunity and empowers athletes through training and competitive experiences that prepare them for success in both sports and life.
Club Sports at Gustavus are experiencing exciting growth, providing more students with engaging athletic experiences outside of varsity play. Supporting a specific sport allows you to directly impact its success, fostering leadership, dedication, and a strong sense of community among our student-athletes.
On February 4-5, 2026, Gusties will rally together to show our support for Gustavus Athletics during the Give Like A Champion: Athletics Giving Day two-day fundraising event. The campaign raises funds for all 23 varsity teams, as well as club athletics, sports medicine, sports information, and the G Club general athletics fund. We invite you to become an early Booster Donor so that we can leverage your gift to create matching and challenge opportunities during the event.
Contact Jason LaFrenz at Jlafrenz [at] gustavus.edu (Jlafrenz[at]gustavus[dot]edu) to make an early booster gift and help us build momentum inspiring others to join.
Music and Performing Arts
Supporting music, theatre, and dance means nurturing creativity, expression, and the vibrant cultural life that enriches our entire campus community. Your gift helps provide access to instruments, costumes, guest artists, performance spaces, and life-changing opportunities both on and off campus. By giving to the arts, you’re ensuring that the performing arts continue to thrive at Gustavus.
Friends of Music (FOM) at Gustavus supports, celebrates and advances student and faculty musicians at the College. Our mission is to ensure the strong tradition of music excellence and provide opportunities for all students who want to express themselves through music. Through annual and endowed gifts, we provide funds that support the music department, and provide for music scholarships and ensemble tours, as well as scholarships. FOM Supporters engage with students and faculty by attending performances, traveling on ensemble companion tours, serving on the leadership council and volunteering as mentors for students.
Behind every excellent performance is a community of supporters. Join us each spring for Applause for the Cause: Giving Days for Performing Arts at Gustavus. Join us on February 25-26, 2026 Performing arts are at the heart of Gustavus, where 400+ students shine on stage and beyond. From soul-stirring concerts and dynamic theater productions to breathtaking dance performances and our beloved Christmas in Christ Chapel, the arts create unforgettable moments that inspire and transform. We invite you to become an early Booster Donor so that we can leverage your gift to create matching and challenge opportunities during the event.
Contact us at %20friendsofmusic [at] gustavus.edu (friendsofmusic[at]gustavus[dot]edu) to make an early booster gift and help us build momentum inspiring others to join.
Endowment Support
Gustavus ranks among the best liberal arts colleges in the country. Your gift to the endowment supports the College in perpetuity. An endowment fund generates annual income for the College to use for teaching and learning, student and faculty research, scholarships, and other programming. The Advancement staff in coordination with the Office of the Provost and other departments as necessary, works closely with you to align your vision for an endowment fund with Gustavus’ current needs and plans for the future.
Creating an endowed scholarship ($50,000+) to honor a loved one or establish a lasting memorial, will provide need-based support for a deserving student, open the possibility of international study, or simply make it possible for a student to access a Gustavus education. Restricted endowed scholarships ($100,000+) are designed to target specific academic majors or other criteria. Scholarship endowments may be established in one's own name or in honor of another person.
Strong faculty are the hallmark of a Gustavus education. Teaching is their life’s calling, and they are dedicated to student learning, academic scholarship, and institutional service. Endowed Chairs ($2,000,000+) and Endowed Professorships ($1,000,000+) ensure that Gustavus’ best teachers and researchers will spend their careers at the College and attract outstanding scholars from other schools.
For students in various fields, collaborative research with a faculty member is important preparation for graduate study or the start of their professional careers. An endowed fellowship, ($250,000+), provides funds to support a student researcher and faculty mentor. Fellowships can be established for students in a particular academic department or for cross-disciplinary research.
Academic endowments ($50,000+) direct budget-relieving dollars to designated academic divisions and departments. These endowed funds catalyze and sustain innovation and valuable programming. Legacy endowments ($50,000+) can ensure the long-term financial stability of a smaller program or initiative. Endowments may be established in one's own name or in honor of another person.
Engaged learning endowments ($100,000+) provide support for mentoring, internships, Gustavus Women in Leadership activities, the Gustie Cup, and other student-centered programming that help Gusties transition from the Hill to their next stage in life.
Signature Experience
SigX is not just a program, it's a launchpad. It’s the catalyst that propels our bright, driven Gusties from ambitious students to impactful leaders. It’s the embodiment of a Gustavus education – one that transcends the traditional classroom and empowers students to shape their own extraordinary futures. We invite you to become a vital partner in this transformative journey. A gift in any amount can immediately support the Signature Experience of a current Gustavus student. An endowed gift ($50,000+) helps to create a lasting legacy that will benefit future Gustie researchers, travelers, and interns for generations to come.
Provides crucial support for experiential learning opportunities, ensuring that financial constraints do not hinder a Gustie’s path to professional success.
Open doors to invaluable cross-cultural immersions, empowering Gusties to explore new horizons and and cultivate adaptability, critical-thinking, cultural fluency, and self-discovery.
Powers opportunities for Gusties across all disciplines to engage in experiences that will introduce them to the vocation of investigation, discovery, and analysis.
Friends of the Library
Friends of the Library - Gustavus Library Associates (GLA) promotes learning, literature, and the Folke Bernadotte Memorial Library at Gustavus.
Hundreds of annual supporters give to GLA, ensuring the Folke Bernadotte Memorial Library remains a resource for all, embodying the spirit that "Libraries are for everyone."
Give to Friends of the Library
This biennial, gala fundraiser supports access to learning and the Library. Beneficiaries include the GLA Endowment Fund and A Royal Affair Promise Scholarship, benefiting first generation students.
Mark your calendar for Saturday, November 14, 2026 to attend the next event.
Friends of the Arboretum
Friends of the Arboretum supports the education, conservation, and horticultural activities of the Arboretum at Gustavus Adolphus College. Your gifts fund the preservation efforts of 135 acres of forests, prairies, wetlands, gardens, trails, and more—a place where students, visitors, and families can connect with nature and each other.
Members cherish the Arboretum as a unique place—an outdoor laboratory, a space to escape, to explore, to learn, to grow. Contributions provide environmental education experiences for thousands of students and guests. Become a Friends of the Arboretum member.
Gustavus Adolphus College and The Arboretum at Gustavus are pleased to offer opportunities to honor the ones you love. Whether you prefer the strength and beauty of a tree or the quiet reflection offered by a bench, your tribute will be well cared for in a beautiful outdoor setting.
Friends of Innovation
Gustavus Friends of Innovation exists to ensure the strong tradition of excellence in innovation at Gustavus supporting students with hands-on participation with their creative ideas, and increasing awareness about programs, activities, and opportunities for all students to explore their innovative ideas, regardless of their primary field of study.
This annual student entrepreneurship competition showcase the creative spirit that Gustavus students bring to their startup endeavors. Participants engage with faculty, coaches, and alumni mentors for support in developing their ideas into feasible, scalable, and sustainable business models.
Gustie Women for Good
The Gustie Women for Good giving circle was established to build community and combine our resources, achieving more together than we might alone. Join us on March 12, 2026 at the American Swedish Institute for our annual giving event where we'll hear about opportunities directly benefiting current Gustavus students, then will choose where to give our collective support.
We invite you to become a matching Impact Partner at the $1,000 giving level. For more information email Tricia Stenberg at %20triciastenberg [at] gustavus.edu (triciastenberg[at]gustavus[dot]edu) with questions, or click the button below to make your gift early.
Tennis and Life Camps
Tennis & Life Camps (TLC) at Gustavus combines tennis instruction with life skills development, aiming to foster personal growth and character development in individuals. Our programs emphasize values such as integrity, responsibility, and leadership through the sport of tennis through first-rate instruction, humor, reflection, music, and interactions with campers on and off the court. Make a gift or pledge to TLC today to support the important work of the camp and its instructors, or to support scholarships.
