Advancement Notes

Thanks to support from many caring people, Purdue’s College of Agriculture in 2004 awarded 277 scholarships averaging $1,000. But the need for scholarships far outweighs the college’s ability to provide them. The total cost per year for an Indiana resident to attend Purdue is about $15,000.

Andy Fordice, a junior in the College of Agriculture majoring in agricultural economics and agricultural communication, was raised on a farm in Russellville, Ind., by a family with numerous Boilermaker connections. Fordice’s financial reality was that it would be hard for his family to send him to Purdue.

“I have been fortunate to earn scholarships. I want to thank all the donors who have given to scholarships here at Purdue, because everything they do helps us succeed in the classroom and on campus,” Fordice says.

“I have won a few scholarships, like the sophomore scholarship worth $700, the Jack Torr scholarship, which covered my tuition for my sophomore year, and the Glenn Sample scholarship this year.

“Without these scholarships, it would have been very hard for me to go to college, be active on campus and keep my grades up.”

Fordice is taking a full load of classes and he has contributed to one of the University’s legends. “I was Purdue Pete my sophomore year,” he says. “I didn’t get paid cash for it, but I did get my books paid for.”

The College of Agriculture enrolls about 2,500 undergraduates, and the caliber of these students is improving as the enrollment increases. “We are getting higher quality students with higher grade point averages. Scholarship funds allow us to compete for these top students so they don’t go to another college or another university,” says Tracie Egger, assistant director of academic programs for the college.

Kim Hall, a senior from Wolcott, Ind., says scholarships allowed her to be involved in seven student organizations, as well as serving as Grand Prix president. She also is a volunteer Sunday School teacher and a Wish Granter for the Indiana Make a Wish Foundation. “I feel lucky because my opportunities have not been limited by financial constraints,” she says.

Hall worked at a paid on-campus internship during the school year and also has held three paid summer internships, mostly earning minimum wage. She says that those who donate to scholarships “are allowing a student to get involved without having to worry about missing work. Students can focus on their education and college experience without worrying about having or making the money to pay for the experience.”

As fees and tuition continue to increase to make up for decreased state funding, the need for scholarship money also increases. There are at least two ways to support scholarships. One is by creating an endowment, which lasts forever. The interest earned from the endowment provides support for students. The minimum gift to establish and name an endowed scholarship is $25,000.

Another method is to contribute to the general scholarship fund, which provides a pool of dollars to be distributed to students based on need and merit.

Basing scholarships on need and merit is in line with the philosophy behind the creation of Purdue University. As a land-grant institution, Purdue’s purpose is to provide knowledge to the sons and daughters of working families. Scholarships allow the land-grant mission to remain attainable. “We want the students to come to the college and concentrate on their education, not their debt,” says Doug Mayo, director of advancement and corporate relations for the College of Agriculture.

For more information on scholarships, contact Lucy Bossung in the Agriculture Advancement Office at (765) 494-8672 or whitehead@purdue.edu.