Named for the original three buildings on campus – Woodburn, Martin and Chitwood – considered to be the foundation of today’s West Virginia University, the Society recognizes those who have made gifts of $100,000 or more to benefit the University and its affiliated organizations. Members are honored at an annual induction dinner, invited to special events, dedications and lectures, and listed on the Foundation’s Donor Honor Wall.
Gift commitments may be satisfied through any combination of the following:
- Outright gifts from an individual of cash, securities, real property or gifts-in-kind from an individual’s wholly owned company, family foundation, community foundation where the gift is attributed to a donor advised fund established by the individual
- Matching gifts
- Qualified planned gifts*
- Irrevocable gifts with a determined present value (applies only to income-producing gifts and is calculated by using a 6.5% discount factor to assure more equitable results) or tax deduction of $100,000 or more
- Income-producing gifts (unitrust, annuity trust, gift annuity or differed gift annuity), life insurance policy gifts (where WVUF is the owner), and real estate remainder gifts
*The following planned gifts are not eligible for inclusion in the Woodburn Circle Society: bequests, testamentary retirement asset gifts, “payable on death” accounts and beneficiary designations of life insurance.
The 2010 WVU Foundation Outstanding Philanthropists are, from left, John Shott and Buzz Wilkinson representing the Shott Foundation, Betty Puskar, Paloma Urbano representing Landmark, and Joyce and John Allen.
Three recognition levels exist within the Society
- Gifts of $1 million or more – Woodburn
- Gifts of $250,000 to $999,999 – Martin
- Gifts of $100,000 to $249,999 – Chitwood
Benefits of becoming a member
- Listed on the Wall of Honor at One Waterfront Place
- Invited to the President’s Brunch and WVU Foundation Suite during football season
- Invited to the annual Woodburn Circle Society recognition dinner
- Included on the WVU President’s mailing list
- Updated on Foundation and University events and news via the WVU Foundation e-mail listserv
Prior to each annual recognition event, current Woodburn Circle Society members' gifts are reviewed in order to determine whether additional gifts have moved them to the next level of Woodburn. Listing on the Wall of Honor will be adjusted accordingly.
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