| by
Carol Schmidt, MSU Communications Services |
| A
$1.8 million gift from a 1928 graduate of the College
of Engineering will mean new scholarships for incoming
freshman who are children of MSU alumni. William V.
Benjamin, a native of Roundup, had been a long-time
employee for Wisconsin Bell when he died in March. He
had been a regular supporter of his college throughout
his life. But in the late 1980s he made provision in his
will to establish an endowed scholarship for engineering
at Montana State. MSU Foundation and College of Engineering
officials learned this summer that Benjamin's gift was
sizable--in the $2 million dollar range--and would significantly
enlarge the size and number of the scholarships available
for students studying engineering or computer science. |
| For
the next several years, Robert Marley, dean of the College
of Engineering, has allocated the Benjamin funds to support
a new scholarship initiative, The College of Engineering
Legacy Scholarship Program for children of MSU graduates.
The Benjamin funds will eventually fund nearly 20 undergraduate
scholarships and four graduate engineering scholarships
for aspiring engineers or computer scientists. |
| "We
are excited to have the opportunity to use Mr. Benjamin's
funds to help us jump-start our new Legacy program for
children of MSU alumni," Marley said. |
| "It
was a wonderful surprise," said Alberta Rivera, director
of gift planning at the MSU Foundation, of Benjamin's
gift. Rivera said she had worked with Benjamin for several
years and knew a gift for Montana State was coming from
his estate that would be approximately $260,000-300,000.
"When we were notified he had died, that amount was what
we expected. The extent of his generosity did not become
clear until earlier this fall when the estate initiated
a partial distribution." |
| Rivera
said Benjamin, a private person, told her little information
about himself, save that his wife had predeceased him.
He was 95 when he died. "Mr. Benjamin did a really lovely
thing," she added. |
| "As
(Benjamin's endowment) matures, we anticipate this new
endowment will generate approximately $100,000 per year
for competitive scholarships to any major in the College
of Engineering," Marley said. "Mr. Benjamin's gift is
a tremendous example of the loyalty of our alumni to the
college." Marley added that the first distribution of
the gift was $1.8 million, with an additional and unknown
amount to follow. Marley said when the first scholarships
are awarded they may be renewed for four years if the
students are in good scholastic standing. Another four
or five will be given each subsequent year, until there
are 20 recipients in the college. In addition to the undergraduate
scholarships, the college will also award graduate scholarships.
|
| Benjamin's
generous gift opens the door to launching the college's
Legacy Campaign for endowed scholarships for talented
college-age children of MSU alumni who wish to attend
the college of Engineering at MSU. The college is planning
to build the Legacy campaign with additional gifts. |
|
For more information about the William Benjamin Scholarships
or the Legacy Campaign, contact the College of Engineering
at (406) 994-2272. Or, go to the COE's scholarship Web
site: http://www.coe.montana.edu/coe/scholar/scholarship_apps.htm.
|
