Special Initiatives

WPB Inspire Awards

The Women’s Philanthropy Board, in association with its 20th Anniversary Commemoration, has established five awards to honor individuals and organizations that have exemplified the educational, mentoring, and philanthropic mission of WPB. In addition to their personal and collective achievements, the honorees have inspired and encouraged others to replicate their actions and have exhibited a commitment to ensuring that the next generation of philanthropists are prepared to follow their examples.

  • Small Business Philanthropist
  • Corporate Philanthropist
  • Financial Educator
  • Mentoring
  • Philanthropist of the Year

A committee comprised of current WPB members and partners select the award recipients based on criteria established by the committee.

2022-2023 Inaugural Recipients

  • The Flower Store: Small Business Philanthropist
  • Alabama Power: Corporate Philanthropist
  • Leah Dubberly: Financial Educator
  • Suzanne Laws*: Mentoring
  • Mamie Sellers: Philanthropist of the Year

WPB Legacy Members and Fund for Excellence Endowments

Since 2002, the Auburn University Women’s Philanthropy Board has offered educational programs for the community and beyond, sponsored mentoring initiatives for students and practiced collective philanthropy in support of the College of Human Sciences. These efforts were made possible because of hundreds of individuals and companies who have invested in WPB’s mission to educate, empower, and inspire.

As WPB looks forward to its next 20 years, it seeks to build on its historic role at Auburn University and the tradition of philanthropy that it represents by offering WPB Legacy memberships. Legacy memberships are funded through fund for excellence endowments established with the Auburn University Foundation. A Fund for Excellence carries the name of the donor (or a designee) and establishes the donor (or designee) as a WPB Legacy member in perpetuity.

Funds for Excellence are established with a $25,000 minimum gift, payable over a five-year period with gifts of cash, stocks, qualified charitable distributions from retirement accounts or other assets. Endowed funds forever remain for the support of WPB and its educational, mentoring, and philanthropic mission. The endowment fund is invested, and earnings provide a permanent source of financial support to the Women’s Philanthropy Board.

Est. 2022

The Kim Ellis Walker Endowed Fund for Excellence The Karyn Uptain Endowed Fund for Excellence The Brent Uptain Endowed Fund for Excellence The WPB 20th Anniversary Fund for Excellence Endowment

Est. 2021

The Vicki Evans Hough Endowed Fund for Excellence The Exa Elizabeth Till Endowed Fund for Excellence

Est. 2020

The Dora Hanson James Endowed Fund for Excellence

Est. 2019

The Drummond Thorne Stukes Endowed Fund for Excellence

Est. 2018

The Kirkpatrick Family Endowed Fund for Excellence

Est. 2017

The Colonel Ronald & Mamie Mills Sellers Endowed Fund for Excellence

Est. 2005

The Dean June Henton Women’s Philanthropy Board Scholarship Endowment

For more information about WPB Legacy Memberships, please contact the WPB office at (334) 844-9156.

WPB Distinguished Speakers Fund

The WPB Distinguished Speakers Fund was established in 2014 and supports the organization’s efforts to feature prominent speakers at its educational programs. These speakers are recognized for their expertise and leadership in the fields of finance, wealth management, estate planning, entrepreneurship, economics, healthcare, mentoring, nonprofit leadership, and philanthropy.

WPB seeks to provide nationally and internationally known speakers at its programs to:

  • Provide high-quality and relevant educational opportunities for its constituents, Auburn University students, faculty, staff, and the community at large.
  • Bring heightened awareness of the mission of WPB to both internal and external stakeholders of the University.
  • Attract larger and more diverse audiences to its programs.
  • Broaden the base of financial support to WPB and its educational, mentoring, and philanthropic initiatives.

Alabama Power has been the primary supporter of WPB’s Distinguished Speakers Fund and has contributed more than $100,000 to the fund in addition to its annual WPB Corporate Partnership and event sponsorships since 2014.

For more information about the WPB Distinguished Speakers Fund, please contact the WPB office at (334) 844-9156.

WPB 20th Anniversary Fund

To commemorate WPB’s 20th anniversary, and to ensure its future for the next 20 years, the WPB 20th Anniversary Endowed Fund for Excellence has been established in the Auburn University Foundation. Contributions to the 20th Anniversary Fund are encouraged from all current and former WPB members and partners and from the community at large. Contributions from members are generously made above and beyond annual membership gifts.

Funding will be used to help secure high-profile speakers for WPB’s annual educational outreach programs.

Support of the 20th Anniversary Fund may be made by:

  • making a designated charitable contribution at auburngiving.org/wpb
  • making a contribution when purchasing tables or tickets to WPB events
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