SALINA, Kan. – Night with the Yotes has been important for Kansas Wesleyan University since its inception, but it reached new heights this past Friday, Feb. 17, when the 12th annual event was held in Mabee Arena. It was the first time the event had been held on campus and it likely will not be the last, after more than $155,000 was raised for operations and student scholarships.

The amount shattered the previous record for money raised through the event.

“This successful night will better the entirety of Kansas Wesleyan,” said Ken Oliver, executive vice president of advancement and university operations. “From the student experience to scholarships and university operations, the generosity of our supporters will create new opportunities for growth across our entire campus. That tremendous giving spirit fostered a great night that built new relationships in the Coyote family, nurtured old KWU friends and did it all in a beautifully laid-out, on-campus facility.”

More than 60 sponsors, both individuals and businesses, from across the region helped support the event, as funds were raised for athletics, fine and performing arts, and DECA.

“Night with the Yotes is always a great event, but this year’s surpassed all expectations,” said Oliver. “It was a team effort and a complete university function, but even with our tremendous staff working together, success would not have been possible without our supporters. Thank you to everyone who participated and made the evening a tremendous success!”

For more information on Kansas Wesleyan, please visit www.kwu.edu/news.

ABOUT KWU: Kansas Wesleyan University is a private, nonprofit, four-year college in Salina, Kan., and affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Its mission is to promote and integrate academic excellence, spiritual development, personal well-being and social responsibility. KWU provides an educational program characterized by excellence, within a caring community, rooted in the liberal arts tradition, that includes 16 academic departments and a wide range of majors. More than 98 percent of graduates from the past three years are in jobs or graduate school within six months of graduation. KWU’s music program and debate teams have been especially successful, with debaters winning more than 65 national championships and graduates of the music program securing positions all over the U.S. ­­Multiple athletic teams have advanced to national tournaments in recent years, and last year, the athletic department’s cumulative GPA was greater than 3.0. For more information, visit www.kwu.edu.