The Lehigh Fund has received a generous $1 million challenge gift from an anonymous family that will support a four-year matching gift campaign to increase unrestricted funding for the university’s greatest need: financial aid and scholarships.
The campaign, Lean Into Lehigh, will match any gift, dollar for dollar, up to $250,000, made from April 20–June 22, 2026. There will be a special emphasis on leadership gifts between $1,000 and $10,000, whether increasing a current-year gift, making a first-time gift, or renewing an annual commitment.
Lean Into Lehigh invites passionate, consistent, and new donors to invest in all that the Lehigh experience makes possible for students: interdisciplinary learning, agile thinking, problem-solving, strong teamwork, unparalleled opportunities for discovery, meaningful work, and community impact.
More than 50% of students receive some form of financial aid, totaling $170 million in 2025, making it the university’s greatest need in enrolling top talent from the deep undergraduate applicant pool.
“While universities across the U.S. have anticipated a potential reduction in applications because of changing national demographics and a changing visa environment that affects the pool of international applicants, Lehigh received a record 20,447 applications this year, the largest applicant pool in our history. Students are clearly interested in a Lehigh education,” says President Joseph J. Helble ’82. “That’s why Lehigh also must continue to prioritize financial aid. In the Class of 2029, 20% of students are first generation, 21% are Pell Grant recipients, and more than 200 are recipients of the Lehigh Commitment, which ensures students coming from families with a household income of less than $75,000 a year will pay nothing in tuition.”
“Since the GO Beyond campaign has launched, Lehigh alumni have helped endow 355 scholarships to ensure the full Lehigh experience for any student eager to call South Mountain home,” says Carol Packard, vice president, Development and Alumni Relations. “Lean Into Lehigh will help fulfill that dream for more students who rely on financial aid. The momentum at Lehigh is real and continues to attract an amazing pool of students who depend on the generosity of donors.”
The anonymous family is proud to help fulfill those dreams. They said, “We are continually impressed with President Helble’s leadership and vision for Lehigh’s future, especially the expansion of financial aid and scholarships which throw open the door to bright minds from around the world. Our family is proud to support Lehigh’s growth and to help foster a culture of giving back.”
Donors interested in participating can make a gift at this site, where the Lehigh Fund will track progress over the next two months. Visitors can also become advocates, encouraging others to give — an online toolkit explains how to get started.
