I'm Steve Rizzi - a retired Wittenberg alum. Over the years, my wife and I have been steadfast contributors to Wittenberg (Benjamin Prince Society, etc.). When I was working, I hired Wittenberg graduates as interns and fulltime staff members. I went back to Wittenberg and presented at departmental colloquia and participated in the strategic plan back in the 2016-2017 time period. I even wrote a couple of guest columns in the Torch.
Back in August, 2023, the first thoughts started to form about a new way to bring alumni together to help Wittenberg. You may remember that back then the university was going through a tough time - budget cuts and lots of concerned alumni. These budget cuts were needed in the face of significant drops in enrollment and a structural deficit of millions of dollars. However, there was a lot of anger, concern, passion, etc. amongst alumni, faculty, staff, students, etc. There was talk of closing the school.
BTW - we are by no means out of the woods yet. We are still facing some very tough times in higher education, and Wittenberg needs to adapt quickly to that changing environment.
At that time I was asked by fellow alumni what could be done. I wasn't sure, so I started a process to find out. Over multiple months, a group of us talked to alumni, staff, faculty, and students. We researched our alumni base and found Wittenberg alumni to help figure out what to do. We found an astonishing group of people with expertise in just the sort of things that we needed in order to understand this problem, and contribute productively. These are people that not only have great experiences in the administration of colleges and universities, but also people outside of academia who brought expertise that could help to bring innovation and ideas. This group, which we called the Founders Council, worked for months to create the governance model for the WIN Foundation.
The result is the WIN Foundation. A newly formed, alumni-owned, non-profit corporation whose mission is to imagine and implement innovations to help perpetuate Wittenberg University and make it an even better place to work and receive an education. This foundation will work with Wittenberg's administration and Board, but we will also pursue efforts that we believe complement those initiatives.
The WIN Foundation is structured using committees of members that are charged with developing strategies and projects in admissions, advancement, academics, athletics, co-curriculars, and other areas. These committees include alumni who are experts in these fields, as well as members who are passionate about making a difference. Funds collected by the Foundation will be used to fund aspects of these projects, and we'll work closely with the Wittenberg administration and Board to avoid duplication of effort and unity of effort. These committees elect their own chairperson, and they set their own agendas.
Every member of the WIN Foundation has an equal vote, an equal voice, and the opportunity to amplify that voice with others so it can be heard. The officers of the foundation are elected by members to serve staggered three year terms, and any alumni-member in good standing can stand for election. Our membership also includes student members who bring an essential point of view to the organization.
Leadership of the Foundation are held accountable by a membership that can remove them by a popular vote. Funds raised by the foundation are used to support projects that are conceived by WIN's members, and the accounts of the foundation are transparent to all members.
You can read more about it here. I'd urge you to take a look and consider joining. YOU can make a difference.
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