Inspiring Excellence Through Discovery
Since earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1976, Trustee and Arts & Sciences National Council member Barbara Schaps Thomas has given WashU her time, leadership, and generosity, and she and her husband, David, have made the humanities a lasting focus of their philanthropy. This year, they are channeling that commitment into a $250,000 challenge to inspire support for the Dean’s Annual Fund for Arts & Sciences Excellence throughout fiscal year 2027.
Through their ongoing generosity, Barbara and David are supporting students engaged in research-intensive projects within the humanities and humanistic social sciences. This is one of the many ways a gift to the Dean’s Annual Fund for Arts & Sciences Excellence – especially at the Eliot Society level – can generate tremendous impact.
The Annual Fund serves as a driving force that puts vision into action. These flexible funds enhance opportunities to attract top-tier faculty, strengthen research and innovation, and provide transdisciplinary learning opportunities that generate greater collaboration. Additionally, the Annual Fund helps faculty prepare Arts & Sciences students to be future leaders and face the challenges of tomorrow.
How the challenge works
Inspired by their philanthropic commitment to undergraduate research, Barbara and David are challenging Arts & Sciences alumni, parents, and friends to unite behind the Annual Fund. Their hope is to show how much we can accomplish when we come together as a community. Our gifts, combined, provide flexible support that meets the most pressing needs of Arts & Sciences and makes a lasting difference for our students and faculty.
“Many people claim to do their own research today. But academic research is rigorous and methodical and rarely taught at the undergraduate level. We believe supporting Arts & Sciences helps to educate undergraduates about what research entails – an important skill in today’s social media-dominated world – and could help elevate the dialogue, both in person and online.”
Barbara, AB ’76, and David Thomas