Short Range Strategic Plan

Spring 2025 Update

Whittier College: Focused on a Strong, Sustainable Future

At Whittier College, we are dedicated to ensuring a bright future through smart, strategic planning. Our Short Range Strategic Plan focuses on two key areas: growing enrollment and increasing fundraising.

Key Initiatives

  • Whittier Works: Building partnerships with local schools, organizations, and businesses to create opportunities for our students and strengthen community ties.
  • Alumni and Donor Engagement: Strengthening relationships with our alumni and engaging new donors to support the college's mission.

Enrollment Growth

  • Target Enrollment: Our goal is to reach 1,550 students by 2030, with a sustainable target of 1,400 by Fall 2028.
  • Positive Progress: New student enrollment for Fall 2024 has increased by nearly 30% compared to the previous year.
  • Strategic Moves: Reinstatement of football and men’s lacrosse programs, which are key to boosting both enrollment and fundraising.
  • Collaborative Recruitment: Vice President Ken Woods and his team are partnering with high schools, community colleges, and alumni to attract future Poets.

Fundraising for Long-Term Success

  • Whittier Now! Campaign: Targeting $12.5 million in additional funds by 2029, contributing to a total of $24 million for the Whittier Fund.
  • Campaign Progress: Currently on track to meet or exceed 2024-25 fundraising goals.
  • Community Impact: Alumni and external supporters have thus far contributed $1 million to the growing Whittier Works initiative and the Whittier Civic Scholars Program, expanding experiential learning opportunities for students.
  • Alumni-Driven Momentum: Enthusiastic alumni support has also fueled the return of football and men’s lacrosse programs.
  • Team Expansion: Under Vice President Delite Travis’s leadership, new fundraising professionals are joining the team to engage alumni and drive contributions.
  • Board Leadership: The Board of Trustees remains instrumental through personal contributions, fundraising efforts, and outreach to potential donors.

Responsible Spending

  • Targeted Cost-Saving Initiatives: Over 40 strategic actions are in progress to improve bottom-line contributions, including the potential deferral of $2.3 million in capital expenditures to future years.
     
  • Examples of Key Cost-Saving Measures:
    • Operational Efficiency: Enhancing workflows, optimizing resource allocation, and improving technology integration to increase productivity and reduce costs.
    • Vendor Negotiations: Renegotiating contracts to secure more favorable terms.
    • Utility Savings: Reducing costs through consortium MOU agreements.
    • Healthcare Cost Management: Implementing strategies to manage healthcare expenses while maintaining quality care for employees.
    • Revenue Optimization: Increasing housing occupancy rates to maximize revenue.

Together, we are building a stronger, more sustainable Whittier College. Join us in shaping the future!