The Gonzaga Scholarship Challenge is launched for a second year as a concerted effort to ask for additional support for student scholarships.
“What our world needs today are educated people who can and will transform the world.”
– President Thayne McCulloh, D.Phil.
You as a Gonzaga community member can be proud of the fact that four out of five entering freshmen will complete their degrees at Gonzaga. For many colleges and universities, this would be a great success rate. However, we believe it is not good enough, because we want every student to succeed. The major barrier for students and families in selecting and staying at Gonzaga is adequate financial aid.
Fast Facts:
• 97% of students receive financial aid support
• $39,161 is the average family income of a Gonzaga Scholars Program recipient (our students with highest need)
• 60% of students receive aid due to financial need
• $24,888 is the average debt of a graduating Gonzaga student
For the 2011-12 academic year, the University has allocated $59.8 million in institutional financial aid to students, which is an 8 percent increase over the previous academic year. This figure represents over one quarter of Gonzaga’s total operating budget – a huge commitment to keeping education affordable for students and families.
We are extremely grateful that a significant portion of this financial support comes from people like you, our alumni, parents and benefactors. Yet, even with such an investment of resources, we calculate that the remaining unmet need for students will exceed $16 million this year.
In order to meet the increasing financial aid needs of our students, the University Endowment must double in size (currently just over $120 million). This is a long-range goal that we hope to include you in as a partner over the years.
Gonzaga’s immediate challenge is to raise $2 million per year in additional scholarship funding in order to provide sufficient financial support needed to ensure that current Gonzaga students will graduate.
If you feel you can make an additional gift or give an increased amount to the Fund for Gonzaga or the Gonzaga Scholars Program, you are integral to reaching the $2 million of extra support needed this year for added scholarships.
The Gonzaga Scholarship Challenge is a vital initiative that speaks to the heart of Gonzaga’s mission; the hope that all graduates will live creative, productive, and moral lives, seeking to fulfill their own aspirations and at the same time, actively supporting the aspirations of others by a generous sharing of their gifts.
Share your gifts with our students, so they can share in a Gonzaga education.
Contact Stephanie Rockwell for more information on the Gonzaga Scholarship Challenge.
Email: rockwell@gonzaga.edu
Phone: (509) 313-6404