Membership is $500 a year, and every membership goes toward the projects our members choose to support at Walla Walla University.

Yes. The Committee of 500 is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, so your contribution is tax-deductible as allowed by law.

Because we are run entirely by volunteers, our operating costs have historically stayed under one percent, and starting in 2026 we are eliminating them altogether, so your gift goes directly to Walla Walla University.

Our members do. Each year at the Walla Walla University Alumni Weekend, members vote together on the construction, renovation, or equipment project the Committee will support next.

You can join right here on our website by adding your $500 annual membership, paid securely by debit or credit card. Have a question, or want to arrange another way to give? Just reach out through our contact form and we will be glad to help.

Beyond the joy of supporting Walla Walla University, members receive quarterly updates on the projects their gifts make possible, an invitation to our annual Alumni Weekend meal and business meeting, and the chance to connect with fellow alumni and friends.

No. The Committee of 500 is an independent, volunteer-run nonprofit. We are separate from the university's Office of Advancement, though we are always glad to work alongside it. The projects we fund are chosen by our members.

Since 1979. Over more than 45 years, our members have given more than $2.8 million to Walla Walla University, one small gift at a time.

The Committee is led by a volunteer board: President Frederick Field, MD, FACS, Vice Presidents Rick and Kay Henderson, MD, and Treasurer Dave Eichner.