Ball State recently boosted an existing university scholarship program with an endowment of $7.1 million.
Longtime university supporter Geraldine Whitinger endowed Ball State with a bequest, which is a combination of existing trust funds and Whitinger's estate. It is the largest individual contribution in the school's history. Whitinger died July 18, 2002, at age 80.
The money will be used to fund the Whitinger Scholars Program, a full-tuition scholarship program.
"(She) was very pleased the college chose to honor her husband through the Whitinger scholarship because he really loved the kids," said David Bahlmann, president and chief executive officer of the Ball State University Foundation. In the past the Whitinger Scholars Program has been funded through the foundation and private gifts.
Mrs. Whitinger was married to Ralph J. Whitinger, one of the original nine members of the foundation and chairman for 30 years. Since 1973, the Whitingers have donated in excess of $9.1 million.
"She was just a neat woman," said Joanne Edmonds, assistant dean of the Honors College. "Each year, a picture is taken of all the Whitinger scholars, and as long as her health permitted, she was always in it."
The foundation is in charge of the Whitinger Scholars Program, which awards scholarships to 12 incoming freshmen with an excellent academic background. Students must have a combined SAT score of 1300 or combined ACT score of 29 and a GPA of 3.7 or higher on a four-point scale.
"It's provided me with an amazing education and has provided me with the opportunity to participate in community activities," 1998 scholarship recipient Kathryn Gilbert said. "I get to do things I wouldn't at another university."
Gilbert, who acts in "The Laramie Project," said that because she did not have to pay tuition, she was able to afford a recent trip to Evansville to perform in the play.
"The scholarship enables us to attract students from out of state," Edmonds said.
Though a student's location is not taken into consideration, usually about half of the students are from outside of Indiana. Libby Skiles, a 2002 recipient, is from Nebraska.
"Without the Whitinger scholarship, I wouldn't be here," Skiles said. "It not only allowed me to attend school out-of-state but to have several great opportunities while I'm here."
This year the scholars also came from California, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio and Wisconsin. Four came from Indiana.
"This year's class is especially diverse," Edmonds said.
The foundation was set up in 1951. It receives all private gifts to the university and manages and invests the funds as the donors request.
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