DePaul University Athletics
Ernie Wish Continues Legacy of Generosity with Gift to DePaul Softball
7/28/2026 11:00:00 AM | ATHLETICS, SOFTBALL, D CLUB, CHAMPIONSHIP EXPERIENCE
CHICAGO – DePaul Athletics announced today that Ernie Wish (BUS '57), a DePaul alumnus and university life trustee, has continued his longtime support of the university with a $500,000 gift to support DePaul softball scholarships and other program needs.
Wish, a 1957 DePaul graduate in accountancy, went on to become managing partner of Coopers & Lybrand and served as a DePaul trustee for more than 25 years, including as chairman of the Board of Trustees. He founded and served as first president of Ledger & Quill, the donor society of alumni and friends of DePaul's School of Accountancy & MIS, and chaired the university's Cornerstone capital campaign in the 1990s.
A longtime supporter of DePaul Athletics, Wish and his wife, Mimi, have endowed scholarships across multiple Blue Demon programs, including softball, men's and women's soccer, golf and women's tennis, and were major donors behind the department's Wish Field. This latest endowed gift continues a decades-long legacy of generosity to DePaul softball and the university at large.
"Ernie has been one of the most steadfast and generous supporters our program has ever known, and this gift is another example of that generosity in action," said Senior Vice President and Director of Athletics DeWayne Peevy. "His decades of leadership at DePaul, on the Board of Trustees and continuing with our softball program are a model of what it means to give back. We are endlessly grateful for everything he and Mimi have done and continue to do for our student-athletes."
The gift will provide flexible resources for the softball program, supporting areas such as training, travel, recruiting, and the overall student-athlete experience.
"Supporting young women as they grow both on and off the field has always meant everything to Mimi and me," said Wish. "I hope this gift inspires our former players, who know firsthand what this program can be, to join us in giving back. Together, we can help bring DePaul softball back to the national prominence it deserves."Â
Such support perpetuates success on the field. DePaul softball continues to build on its recent momentum heading into the 2027 season under the leadership of head coach Liz Bouck-Jagielski (LAS '04), an alumna of DePaul's College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.
"We are beyond grateful for Ernie's generosity and belief in this program," Bouck-Jagielski said. "Support like this makes a direct impact on our ability to compete at the highest level and gives our student-athletes every opportunity to succeed. We are determined to get DePaul softball back on top of the BIG EAST and back on the national stage in the NCAA Tournament, and gifts like this one put us that much closer to making that a reality. Thank you, Ernie and Mimi, for believing in this program and our student-athletes."
Support DePaul Softball
Join Ernie and Mimi in supporting the future of DePaul softball and help provide Blue Demon student-athletes with the resources they need to compete at the highest level. Give today.
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Wish, a 1957 DePaul graduate in accountancy, went on to become managing partner of Coopers & Lybrand and served as a DePaul trustee for more than 25 years, including as chairman of the Board of Trustees. He founded and served as first president of Ledger & Quill, the donor society of alumni and friends of DePaul's School of Accountancy & MIS, and chaired the university's Cornerstone capital campaign in the 1990s.
A longtime supporter of DePaul Athletics, Wish and his wife, Mimi, have endowed scholarships across multiple Blue Demon programs, including softball, men's and women's soccer, golf and women's tennis, and were major donors behind the department's Wish Field. This latest endowed gift continues a decades-long legacy of generosity to DePaul softball and the university at large.
"Ernie has been one of the most steadfast and generous supporters our program has ever known, and this gift is another example of that generosity in action," said Senior Vice President and Director of Athletics DeWayne Peevy. "His decades of leadership at DePaul, on the Board of Trustees and continuing with our softball program are a model of what it means to give back. We are endlessly grateful for everything he and Mimi have done and continue to do for our student-athletes."
The gift will provide flexible resources for the softball program, supporting areas such as training, travel, recruiting, and the overall student-athlete experience.
"Supporting young women as they grow both on and off the field has always meant everything to Mimi and me," said Wish. "I hope this gift inspires our former players, who know firsthand what this program can be, to join us in giving back. Together, we can help bring DePaul softball back to the national prominence it deserves."Â
Such support perpetuates success on the field. DePaul softball continues to build on its recent momentum heading into the 2027 season under the leadership of head coach Liz Bouck-Jagielski (LAS '04), an alumna of DePaul's College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.
"We are beyond grateful for Ernie's generosity and belief in this program," Bouck-Jagielski said. "Support like this makes a direct impact on our ability to compete at the highest level and gives our student-athletes every opportunity to succeed. We are determined to get DePaul softball back on top of the BIG EAST and back on the national stage in the NCAA Tournament, and gifts like this one put us that much closer to making that a reality. Thank you, Ernie and Mimi, for believing in this program and our student-athletes."
Support DePaul Softball
Join Ernie and Mimi in supporting the future of DePaul softball and help provide Blue Demon student-athletes with the resources they need to compete at the highest level. Give today.
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