New scholarship makes college education more accessible

About 40 faculty and staff members celebrated a new scholarship that will help make education accessible to students who are the first in their families to attend college, and help strengthen Grand Valley's commitment to diversity.

President Thomas J. Haas and others signed the First Generation Urban Schools Scholarship on January 28 during a reception held in the DeVos Center. Haas said improving access to education is critical, especially as the nation's — and the state's — economy worsens.

"In rough times, education is a beacon to help us find our way," Haas said. "It is also the means to retooling our economy and our workforce, the means to find new ways to compete."

The new scholarship will provide resources to students, in addition to financial support, to help them succeed. The catalyst for the scholarship dates to 2006 and the passage of Proposal 2 in Michigan, which restricted administration of scholarships based on race, national origin and gender. Maribeth Wardrop, vice president for Development, said the challenge following Proposal 2 was to find ways to continue to support students of color, women and international students and to continue creating a diverse campus.

"The question was how to provide new opportunities to support these students who can bring economic and cultural diversity and experiences to our campus," she said. To meet those challenges, a scholarship committee was established.

"When Proposal 2 passed, we had 31 private scholarships that were affected," Wardrop said. "The good news is that we still have 31 scholarships, we did not lose one scholarship to a private foundation." She added that 13 of those scholarships were adjusted to meet new criteria and 18 were grandfathered, remaining operational but unable to accept new gifts.

Jeanne Arnold, vice president for Inclusion and Equity, provided initial funding for the First Generation Urban Schools Scholarship. Arnold's donation to this endowment will be matched by Grand Valley, as will other contributions from faculty and staff members.

"A diverse and inclusive university is key to academic excellence, fulfilling our mission and enriching the educational experience of students from all backgrounds," Arnold said. "I feel compelled to do my part in achieving these outcomes.

"I am very fortunate to be part of the fourth generation in my family to attend college. In 2009, more students from diverse backgrounds should be able to make that same statement. I hope all faculty and staff consider this fund as they make private giving choices, especially since their gifts will be matched."

Candidates for the scholarship must be the first in their family to pursue a college degree and must be from one of the urban high schools identified by Financial Aid, Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Division of Inclusion and Equity. It will likely begin to be awarded in 2010.

From left, Oliver Wilson, dean of Multicultural Affairs; President Thomas J. Haas; and Jeanne Arnold, vice president for Inclusion and Equity, sign scholarship papers during an event in the DeVos Center / Photo by Amanda Pitts