Scholarship endowments earmarked for students who have traditionally been underrepresented on campus will help to cultivate a richer, more diverse learning environment for all Kent State University students. Diversity scholarships established throughout campus will provide opportunities for academically talented minority students who otherwise may not have the financial ability to attend the university. Such support enables Kent State to continue setting its own educational agenda, one that is based on academic quality, individual choice and broad access to higher education.

Features:

• Enhance the recruitment and retention of students from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds.
  
• Offer more competitive financial aid packages to attract well-qualified students from underrepresented groups. (About seven out of ten Kent State students, who achieved a high school GPA of 3.4 or above, receive some form of scholarship support).
  
• Create role models with excellent academic backgrounds, inspiring other minority students to pursue higher education.
  
• Help to reduce the indebtedness of Kent State students upon graduation, which is double the national average for public universities.
  
• Reduce the number of hours that students must spend working for pay, which in turn frees scholarship recipients to focus on studies and campus activities, thereby insuring fuller access to the benefits of higher education.
  

Scholarship Endowment Opportunities:

• An investment of $100,000 will establish an annual $5,000 award for an academically talented student.
  
• An investment of $50,000 provides a partial tuition scholarship to a deserving student each fall.
  
• An investment between $10,000 - $35,000 will provide a partial scholarship.

• To increase the level of scholarship monies from individuals and corporations to enhance the university's enrollment and retention initiatives for underrepresented students

• To recognize individuals or organizations who have performed extraordinary services to enhance diversity objectives

• To cultivate alumni, faculty, community leaders, corporate partners and friends of Kent State University who are committed to diversity initiatives

• To serve as a community building event

Many of the objectives for the Diversity Scholarship Dinner and Awards Program are accomplished through four subcommittees. The subcommittees are composed of internal and external stakeholders committed to fulfilling a specific function or role.

The university will seek input and sustain key initiatives through the following subcommittees:

• Fund Raising

• Publicity

• Program

• Awards and Special Recognition

Fund Raising Subcommittee

The Fund Raising Subcommittee is guided by the following case summary for endowed scholarships at Kent State University:

Scholarship endowments earmarked for students who have traditionally been underrepresented on campus will help to cultivate a richer, more diverse learning environment for all Kent State University students. Diversity scholarships established throughout campus will provide opportunities for academically talented minority students who otherwise may not have the financial ability to attend the university. Such support enables Kent State to continue setting its own educational agenda that is based on academic quality, individual choice and broad access to higher education.

Features:

• Enhance the recruitment and retention of students from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds.
  
• Offer more competitive financial aid packages to attract well-qualified students from underrepresented groups. (About seven out of ten Kent State students, who achieved a high school GPA of 3.4 or above, receive some form of scholarship support).
  
• Create role models with excellent academic backgrounds, inspiring other minority students to pursue higher education.
  
• Help to reduce the indebtedness of Kent State students upon graduation, which is double the national average for public universities.
  
• Reduce the number of hours that students must spend working for pay, which in turn frees scholarship recipients to focus on studies and campus activities, thereby insuring fuller access to the benefits of higher education.
  

Scholarship Endowment Opportunities:

• An investment of $100,000 will establish an annual $5,000 award for an academically talented student.
  
• An investment of $50,000 provides a partial tuition scholarship to a deserving student each fall.
  
• An investment between $10,000 - $35,000 will provide a partial scholarship.

Through expanded activities of the fundraising subcommittee, the university intends to secure additional gifts from individuals and corporations to increase the enrollment and retention of under-represented students. The subcommittee will consider the following issues and devise strategies to enable the university to enlist the support of community and corporate partners:

• What realistic and achievable diversity scholarship funds can be realized through Diversity Scholarship Dinner and Awards Program?

• What are the characteristics of individuals and corporate agencies who will likely to support university diversity scholarship programs?

• What specific strategies can help the university enlist the support of community and corporate partners?

• What efforts can sustain systematic approach and direct linkages to these individuals and corporate partners for diversity initiatives?

Specifically, the subcommittee shall:

• Seek funds to establish additional endowed Founders Scholars scholarships of $100,000 each for under-represented students.

• Make strategic use of relationships with community organizations, alumni of color, business leaders and individuals to increase support for scholarships through the Diversity Scholarship Dinner and Awards Ceremony.

• Seek to find an underwriter to cover the costs of the annual Diversity Scholarship Dinner and Awards Ceremony.

Publicity Subcommittee

The university seeks to devise effective and comprehensive marketing and community outreach activities to enlist and sustain corporate and individual support for the Diversity Scholarship Program. The subcommittee will review the past activities and develop new and innovative strategies to reach and sustain stakeholders. The subcommittee will consider the following questions:

• What specific strategies can best help the university develop and coordinate messages about diversity scholarship initiatives?

• How can we help the mass media learn more about diversity scholarship initiatives?

• How can we increase communication among faculty, staff, corporate, and community leaders who have an interest in providing funding support for underrepresented students?

• How can we increase the amount of information about the annual Diversity Scholarship Dinner and Awards Ceremony in university publications and local media?

• How can we increase the number of diverse university, community and business leaders attending Diversity Scholarship Dinner and Awards Ceremony?

• How can we best engage alumni of color and develop new private sector partnerships?

• How can we focus our marketing efforts to present Kent State's diversity story fully to appropriate target audiences and position the university as an academic leader?

• In collaboration with Kent State Alumni Association, conduct a survey to assess effectiveness of our current partnership and alumni of color.

The university is committed to the enhancement of general, intellectual, cultural, and social awareness of the value and importance of diversity through the Diversity Scholarship Dinner and Awards Ceremony. The program subcommittee will outline strategies for implementing cost-effective quality programming for the annual diversity scholarship dinner and awards ceremony. The subcommittee is charged to perform the following functions:

• Organize the program for the Annual Diversity Scholarship Dinner and Awards Ceremony.

• Recommend the ticket price for the event.

• Based on the budget outlined, plan the dinner, entertainment, decorations and other program elements.

• Arrange for special seating.

• Arrange for an appropriate number of student helpers.

• Arrange for Master of Ceremonies.

• Arrange a cost-effective variety performance, taking into consideration the rich and diverse cultural talents present at Kent State and in the region.

Awards and Special Recognition Subcommittee

The university is committed, through its Annual Diversity Scholarship Dinner and Awards Ceremony, to emphasizing the importance of leadership, academic excellence, campus involvement, community service and achievement. The awards and special recognition subcommittee will outline strategies for valuing the contributions of diverse population. The subcommittee is charged to perform the following functions:

• Select and make recommendations to the President for the President's Social Responsibility, Community Service, Creative Contribution, New Millennium Alumni Award and Student awards, based on nominations from a variety of sources and set criteria.

• Based on the budget presented, select and purchase awards.

• Review and propose any changes for the selection process, award criteria and/or new awards.