student scholarships

Tag: student scholarships

Lawrence receives additional $5 million challenge for scholarship endowment

$5M-gift_newsblogOn the heels of successfully completing a $25 million challenge match, Lawrence University has been presented another opportunity to boost its student scholarship support.

An additional $5 million commitment by the same anonymous donor who issued the $25 million challenge a year ago, has been pledged on the condition Lawrence makes every effort to raise $10 million in matching funds by December 31, 2016.

Both the gift and the matching funds would be applied to an endowment for student scholarships that currently stands at $51.9 million.

Charlot Singleton, who serves as chair of the Board of Trustees’ development committee says this newest commitment is “significant.”

Char Singleton_newsblog“Such generosity will allow us to recommit ourselves to the founding principle of educational access for all capable students,” said Singleton, a 1967 Lawrence graduate. “We can be proud of becoming the kind of institution that places that highest priority on ensuring a Lawrence education that remains affordable to all students.”

Two weeks ago, Lawrence announced it had raised nearly $27 million in just 15 months toward the original matching gift during its “Full Speed to Full Need” initiative. The latest challenge, when successfully completed, will add another $15 million toward the ultimate goal of creating a scholarship endowment of $75 million, a total that will make Lawrence a full-need institution.

“The impact of the gifts to the Full Speed to Full Need campaign is already making a huge difference in the lives of many Lawrence students,” said Hugh Denison, a 1968 Lawrence graduate who serves as chair of the FSFN initiative. “Our ultimate goal is to see that every student has the comfort of knowing that funds will be available for them to finish their education here. While we have had spectacular success in our efforts toward that goal, there is still much work to be done. I would urge every graduate of the college to consider a gift to this vital mission.Hugh-Denison_newsblog_2

“Our success in completing this campaign will insure that Lawrence remains among the national leaders of liberal arts colleges,” Denison added.

As a full-need institution, Lawrence will be able to provide financial assistance to make up any difference between what a family can contribute and what federal and state programs provide toward the comprehensive fee.

“When we are successful with this phase of the campaign,” said Ken Anselment, dean of admissions and financial aid, “we will be able to support all Lawrentians at a level that allows them to take full advantage of the Lawrence experience.

“This campaign will put Lawrence on the short list of colleges in the country that meet the full need of all their students,” Anselment added.  

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College” and Fiske’s Guide to Colleges 2016. Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.         

 

Ben Meunier awarded Gilman International Scholarship to study Arabic in Jordan

Sophomore Ben Meunier has been awarded a prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

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Ben Meunier ’17

Meunier, an anthropology major from Marshall, was one of 850 undergraduates nationally selected for the scholarship from among 2,700 applicants. The award will support studies abroad this fall (Aug. 23-Dec. 17) on the Middle East and Arabic Language Studies program in Amman, Jordan.

Administered by the Associated Colleges of the Midwest in partnership with AMIDEAST, the program immerses students in Arabic as well as the history and culture of the region.

Meunier, who his completing his first year of studying Arabic at Lawrence, sees the language skills as critical to his future plans.

“I expect to journey to the Middle East regularly during my professional career,” said Meunier, whose older brother Zechariah, a senior at Lawrence, received a Gilman International Scholarship in 2013. “I aspire to be a biblical archaeologist and learning Arabic is a necessary step if I hope to attain the fullest understanding of the region. Arabic, like Hebrew, is a Semitic language and this connection will only further help me study the Hebrew peoples.”

Gilman Scholars receive up to $5,000 to apply towards their study abroad program costs. The program’s mission is to diversify the students who study abroad and the countries and regions where they go.

Lawrence Anthropology Professor Peter Peregrine said the Gilman Scholarship provides a perfect opportunity for Meunier to combine his Christian faith with his broader interests in the Abrahamic religions.

“Ben’s planned work in Jordan will allow him to develop his Arabic language skills while pursuing a greater understanding of Islam,” said Peregrine, Meunier’s academic advisor. “I have developed a great respect for Ben. He has not allowed his deep Christian beliefs to keep him from trying to understand and appreciate other faiths. He has used his interest in the Abrahamic religions to strengthen his understanding of his own Christian beliefs.”

Amman-Jorda_newsblogGilman Scholars have opportunities to gain a better understanding of other cultures, countries, languages and economies, which prepares them to be leaders in an increasingly global economy and interconnected world.

“I am looking forward to the whole experience,” said Meunier, who will live with a host family while on the program. “I am very excited about the homestay because I will be directly immersed in the culture of the Middle East. I am also looking forward to meeting my fellow classmates and living as a Middle Eastern college student.

“As an anthropology major, this program will be ideal, providing me firsthand experience in the field,” he added. “I also will be able explore some of my personal interests in religion, and the influx of refugees from Syria and other neighboring countries has created an anthropological research topic of great interest. Jordan truly is the perfect location for me.”

Administered by the Institute of International Education, the program is named in honor of Benjamin Gilman, who represented New York in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1973-2003. According to Gilman, a strong advocate of studying abroad programs, the scholarship “provides our students with the opportunity to return home with a deeper understanding of their place in the world, encouraging them to be a contributor, rather than a spectator in the international community.”

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2015 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Lawrence Student Cost Increase Smallest in 20 Years

The cost to attend Lawrence University for the 2015-16 academic year will reflect the smallest rate increase in 20 years based on the recently approved budget by the college’s Board of Trustees.

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At 9:1, Lawrence has one of the lowest student-to-faculty ratios of any college in the country.

The comprehensive fee for the next school year will be $52,950, an increase of 2.89 percent over the current year. The increase is the smallest since a 2.84 percent change for the 1996-97 academic year and is the second smallest in more than 30 years.

This moderate increase is due in part to the Lawrence community’s efforts to decrease operating expenses by 7 percent or $3.75 million over the next three years while preserving the quality of the education.

The comprehensive fee covers tuition, room, board, student activity and sustainability fees.

“I realize the financial burden that many of our students and families face, and I take seriously any increase to the comprehensive fee,” said Burstein, who has made affordability a cornerstone of his presidency since assuming the office in July 2013. “The cost of providing a rigorous and challenging academic experience, with a student-to-faculty ratio (9:1) that is among the lowest in the country, is indeed great. As we continue to improve this institution and its offerings to students, it is imperative that we work to find ways to moderate the increasing cost of the transformative education we provide.”

A focused campaign to raise student scholarship funds was launched last September with a gift of $25 million, the largest in school history. Lawrence alumni and friends have contributed more than $18 million to match this extraordinarily generous gift. These funds will be used solely to create endowed scholarships that help meet students’ demonstrated financial need.

“Efforts to raise funds and decrease operating costs are essential to the continued health of Lawrence and to the affordability of the education we offer for future Lawrentians and their families,” Burstein said.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2015 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

$250,000 Gift from Sentry Insurance Honors Retiring Chair, Lawrence Alumnus Dale Schuh ’70

Lawrence University has received a $250,000 gift from the Sentry Insurance Foundation in honor of retiring Sentry Chairman Dale Schuh’s leadership and more than 40-year career with the company.

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Dale Schuh ’70

A 1970 Lawrence graduate who earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, Schuh also has served on the college’s Board of Trustees since 2008. The $250,000 gift will be used to continue Schuh’s commitment to Lawrence students. He and his wife, Annette, endowed a scholarship at Lawrence in 2009 that assists students who are the first in their families to attend college.

“As a first generation college student, I have a fond spot in my heart for Lawrence University,” Schuh said.

Since joining the Board of Trustees, Schuh has served on numerous committees, including recruitment and retention, executive committee and finance committee, which he has chaired since 2011. He also has been active as an admissions volunteer. From 2010-2012, Schuh served as president of Lawrence’s Founders Club, providing extraordinarily important leadership to the college’s most generous donors.

Most recently, Schuh served as the chair of a 15-person presidential search committee that led to the selection of Mark Burstein, executive vice president at Princeton University, as Lawrence’s 16th president.

“Dale Schuh’s leadership of the Presidential Search Committee was my first experience of how dedicated Lawrence alumni are to their alma mater. His enthusiasm for Lawrence continues to be contagious,” said Burstein, who took office July 1. “I thank Sentry for honoring Dale’s extraordinary career in this way. Lawrence, and more importantly, our students, will benefit significantly from their generosity.”

Schuh joined Sentry as an actuarial intern while still a student at Lawrence. He became a full-time employee in January, 1972 and spent his entire career with the company. Within eight years of joining Sentry, Schuh was named vice president of corporate planning. He also held the roles of vice president actuarial and control and senior vice president of marketing. Schuh was named president and chief operating officer in 1996 and two years later was elected chief executive officer and chairman of the board of directors.

“During Dale’s period as a senior executive, he has either been in the engine room or directly at the helm during some of the most pivotal moments in Sentry’s history,” said Peter McPartland, Sentry president and CEO. “When I began working with Dale, one of the first things I noticed was his intelligence, total understanding of how the insurance business works and his grasp on all aspects of Sentry. He never stopped thinking about Sentry and how to make Sentry better.”

Under Schuh’s leadership, Sentry’s financial strength and position significantly improved. It now holds an A+ financial rating from AM Best Company.

“The past dozen years have slipped by quickly,” said Schuh. “I am proud to have been with the company through thick and thin. I feel very confident about this company’s future.”

The gift to Lawrence was one of two   the foundation made in Schuh’s honor. A $50,000 contribution was also presented to United Way of Portage County to kick off the organization’s 2013 campaign.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2014 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.