Alumni rewards peak

The IU Alumni Association announced last month they have awarded an all-time high of $275,000 in scholarships to IU students and potential students. IUAA President Ken Beckley said the scholarship money increases each year and will only continue to rise.\n"The number of scholarships we offer grows every year," IUAA President Ken Beckley said. "I can guarantee that in the upcoming year, we will continue to see increases."\nThe association, which awarded the recent scholarships between July 2001 and June 2002, has given nearly $2 million throughout its century-long history. \nThe IUAA scholarship program has expanded to include 103 clubs in many Indiana towns, major cities throughout the United States and some foreign countries. This year the IUAA clubs accounted for $65,500 of the scholarship money.\nThe IUAA club in Indianapolis gives five $1,000 scholarships each year to students living in Marion, Hancock, Hendricks or Hamilton Counties who will be attending any IU campus. Indianapolis Club President Cathy Randall said their purpose is to contribute to the quality of IU by providing scholarships to the top students living in the area the club services. \n"We strive to help any student who might not be able to come to IU for financial reasons," Randall said. "Our goal is to encourage students to excel in their chosen professions." \nThe Southwest Indiana club also added largely to the scholarship total. Each year the club awards $5,000 worth of scholarships to current students. Over the past 12 years, the club, dedicated to building a legacy of future IU graduates and leaders in the southwest Indiana area, has given close to $50,000 in scholarships.\n"It's important to satisfy the needs of students wishing to further their education," said Club President Nancy Otte. "We work very closely with all of the clubs and associations to help ensure that the IUAA is successful."\nThe IUAA offers scholarships to current students and potential students based on the student's involvement, financial need and criteria set by the association.\nOther clubs and organizations that contributed to last year's total scholarships include the Hoosiers for Higher Education, IU Southeast Alumni Association, IUAA Scholars, the Whittenberger Society and the IU Kokomo Alumni Association. \nConstituent societies, organized under the IUAA to serve the needs of the graduates of the various schools and campuses of IU, also contributed to the scholarship total. There are 26 such groups throughout the University system. \n"Our association is honored to account for all of our clubs, constituent societies and affiliate groups," Beckley said. "Each one of those groups played a huge role in contributing to our large total."\nThe IUAA currently has more than 99,000 members and more than 440,000 living graduates. The organization is dedicated to enhancing the image of IU through various programs, communications and services. \n"Our philosophy is that alumni have an obligation to actively recruit the best and brightest students to IU," he said.\nStudents may apply for an IUAA scholarship at the Virgil T. DeVault Alumni Center or online at the Web site www.indiana.edu/~alumni/devault.html.