MANHATTAN — Mary Vanier, Manhattan, has given a gift of $1 million to Kansas State University to create at least 30 matching gift scholarships as part of the K-State Family Scholarship Program. This program is an initiative of the Kansas State University Foundation to increase scholarship dollars to help the university attract and retain students and to inspire new donors to invest in student success.
The Mary L. Vanier K-State Family Scholarship will be used to match at least 30 new gifts for scholarships. New gifts of $30,000 will be matched with $30,000 from Vanier’s gift, while $10,000 will go into an expendable scholarship fund, making $2,000 scholarships immediately available to students. New gifts of $30,000 will be matched with $30,000 from Vanier’s gift, while $10,000 will go into an expendable scholarship fund, making $2,000 scholarships immediately available to students. Fifty thousand dollars will go into the endowment, ensuring future generations of Wildcats will receive scholarships as well.
The program’s goal is to widen the philanthropic support base for Kansas State University by inspiring new donors to give while creating scholarships necessary to help students attend the university today and in the future.
“I hope this inspires those who have thought about setting up a scholarship but haven’t because they couldn’t meet the minimum endowment requirement,” Vanier said. “It’s going to take all of us to support K-State, and this program offers a wonderful way to get involved. With this match program, our newest donors can make a significant impact on students right away.
“We are at a very critical time at Kansas State University due to decreased state support of higher education and decreased enrollments,” Vanier said. “I hope this gift and the 30 gifts it inspires will send a message to the young people who want to attend K-State that we care, we want you at our university, and we support your goals of attaining a college degree.”
The K-State Family Scholarship Program is looking to expand.
“We are asking our most loyal and generous donors to lay the financial foundation, as Mary Vanier has, to build a successful scholarship program by offering matching funds,” said Greg Willems, president of the KSU Foundation. “Widening our donor base will be imperative to creating the substantial increase in student support required to attract and retain students to K-State, now and in the future. The creation of matching scholarships is a powerful expression of what it means to live up to the true spirit of the K-State family.”
To participate in the K-State Family Scholarship Program, visit www.ksufoundation.org/family for more information or contact John Morris at 785-532-7587 orjohnm@ksufoundation.org.
As Kansas State University’s strategic partner for philanthropy, the KSU Foundation inspires and guides philanthropy toward university priorities to boldly advance K-State family. The foundation is leading Innovation and Inspiration: The Campaign for Kansas State University to raise $1.4 billion for student success, faculty development, facility enhancement and programmatic success. Visit www.ksufoundation.org for more information.
