About half of UI students receive scholarship assistance of some kind—including about 2,800 students who receive scholarships funded by charitable donations from individuals and companies.
The UI Foundation’s new Forever More Scholarship is one of these donor-supported funds. But while many scholarships are established by a large gift ($50,000 or more) from a single donor or organization, the Forever More Scholarship will come from the collective giving of many individual alumni and friends making modest contributions.
“As educational costs rise, so does the need for student support,” says UI Foundation President and CEO Lynette Marshall. “We created the Forever More Scholarship Fund to address the need directly, as part of the final year of the For Iowa. Forever More. fundraising campaign. The university may begin awarding these scholarships as soon as the upcoming fall semester.”
University of Iowa student Richelle Manuel moved to Ankeny, Iowa, from the Philippines with her family just after she finished the sixth grade. She could hardly speak a word of English, but getting caught up with her new classmates was a challenge Manuel was eager to take on.
“I’ve never cared that much about grades,” says Manuel. “I just like learning. I’m such a nerd!”
She went on to become debate champion of the Iowa High School Speech Association her senior year of high school, now speaks four languages, is on the UI Dean’s List, and is studying on a full-ride scholarship. That scholarship support has been a crucial part of Manuel’s ability to pursue her dreams.
Manuel’s father’s engineering job with MidAmerican Energy brought them to the United States. At that time, her mother decided to leave her own accounting career to care for their four children.
Anybody can make a gift to support the Forever More Scholarship Fund. And any UI student could potentially benefit from it because there are no restrictions on college or area of study, hometown, or background.
“My parents have worked hard to provide for the family,” Manuel says. “They have done everything in their power to give my three little brothers and me a better life, but money has always been tight. It would not have been possible for them to afford to send all of us to college.”
Anybody can make a gift to support the Forever More Scholarship Fund. And any UI student could potentially benefit from it, because there are no restrictions on college or area of study, hometown, or background. Gifts of all sizes—from alumni, faculty, staff, fans and friends of the UI—will be added together to create a new source of funds that can be applied wherever the need for student support is greatest. Each gift made to the fund will directly translate to scholarship support for students.
Manuel is on course to be an accountant with a valuable degree from the UI’s Henry B. Tippie College of Business, and she plans to put her education to work in the field of natural resources management. She wants to own an accounting firm and eventually become a professor.
She also plans to become a donor as soon as she is able.
“My scholarships have helped put all of these goals within reach,” says Manuel. “I’m forever grateful, and it will be my honor and responsibility to help provide support for the next generation of students.”