The University of Arizona Alumnus / Spring 2009
Scholarships Benefit Our Entire Economy
by Adrian SheltonThe current economic crisis is a dramatic illustration that our personal financial well-being is inextricably tied to the financial well-being of our state and nation.That’s a fact virtually all Americans agree on. Widely debated, however, is the role higher education can play in getting the economy moving again. The data clearly show the percentage of college degrees in our populations has a dramatic effect on factors that are vital for the economic health of our communities.
My husband, University of Arizona President Robert Shelton, and I both were scholarship students at Stanford University, where we met. The financial assistance we received opened life-changing educational opportunities for us. While our personal rewards were many, a college scholarship is much more than financial assistance for the individual. It’s a direct investment in the long-term vitality of our local, state, and national economies.
The societal and economic benefits of a highly educated workforce include:
Health and Family Well-being — Studies show that at every income and age level, college graduates report being healthier and happier. They have lower obesity rates and lower risk for heart disease. Good health increases productivity. Conversely, illness increases costs dramatically not only for individuals, but also for our healthcare system and our businesses. This has significant implications for poverty among women and children in our communities. The divorce rate for women with college degrees has dropped by nearly half from the 1970s to the 1990s, but has remained steadily high among women without a college degree.
Lower Unemployment and Higher Income Levels — A college graduate is less than half as likely to be unemployed and on average earns 60 to 70 percent more than a high-school graduate. Degree holders also pay double to five times more in annual taxes, thereby increasing incomes for government at every level to pay for the infrastructure essential for economic growth.
Cost to Government — College graduates use government assistance programs such as food stamps, school lunch programs, and Medicaid at much lower rates than other population segments. Males with high-school diplomas are 15 times as likely to be incarcerated as males with college degrees. When we think about the social and financial costs of the prison population in Arizona, this should certainly capture our attention.
In past generations, many people were successful without a college degree. In 1940, about 5 percent of the population had a college degree, which gave them earning power about 10 percent higher than a high school grad’s. By 2004, 28 percent of Americans had a degree and earned, on average, 53 percent more. Since 2004, the earnings gap has grown to 60 to 70 percent.
In the global economy, the demand for highly skilled workers who can drive innovation will only increase. Yet, 2006 data show that an Arizona 9th-grader’s chance of access to college by age 19 is the third-lowest in the country (only Alaska and Nevada are lower).
We have a lot of work to do to establish real economic strength in Arizona. Although the current financial crisis is in flux, we can seize this moment to build a future based on the knowledge economies of today and the future. Through scholarship funding we can help today’s bright students become tomorrow’s great leaders, and ensure our Arizona communities thrive in every dimension, beginning with a strong economy.
Sources:
1. “Education Pays 2007” and earlier “Education Pays” reports:
CollegeBoard. Visit http://professionals.collegeboard.com/data-reports-research/trends/education-pays-2006.
2. “The Fiscal Consequences of Adult Educational Attainment,” December 14, 2007, by Khatiwada, McLaughlin, Sum, and Palma of the Center for Labor Market Studies, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, prepared for the National Commission on Adult Literacy. Visit http://www.nationalcommissiononadultliteracy.org/content/fiscalimpact.pdf.
3. The National Center for Higher Education Management Systems. Visit http://www.higheredinfo.org/.
4. Bureau of Labor Statistics: March 6, 2009 “Education Pays” 2008 data on unemployment rates and median weekly earnings by educational attainment. Visit http:www.bls.gov/emp/emptab7.htm.
5. “Growing Evidence for a ‘Divorce Divide’” 2005 Steven P. Martin,
University of Maryland — College Park.
Consider providing today’s youth with access to higher education by contributing to or starting a scholarship fund. The UA provides numerous scholarship opportunities for students. There are 939 scholarships that are funded through the UA Foundation.
ARIZONA ASSURANCE
Thanks to scholarship support, many student scholars have increased opportunities to attend college with little to no financial burden. Arizona Assurance, a recent UA scholarship initiative, is a no-loan model aimed at providing Arizona residents a debt-free UA education. For more information, visit
www.azassurance.org.
ENDOWED
An endowment can be established with a minimum gift of $10,000. This gift remains in perpetuity and only the income is available for awards.*
CONTINUING
A continuing fund requires no minimum gift. It involves an agreement from a donor to fund an annual scholarship program for no less than five years.*
ONE-TIME
A donor may agree to give a specific amount for a single award. The entire gift is awarded to the recipient(s) within 12 months. A one-time scholarship may be renewed.
For more information on creating a scholarship fund, please contact Kristin Rennels, assistant director of scholarship stewardship, at 520-626-1338 or krennels@al.arizona.edu. Information also is available at www.uafoundation.org/administration/scholarships.html.
*Endowments and continuing scholarships can be established as memorial scholarships to honor an individual, organization, corporation, or foundation.
Hope Rises Above Rivalry
ASU alumni fund scholarship for UA College of Nursingby Lisa Lucas
Where maroon and gold meet red and blue, is a truly special gift — the Mary Kevin Abbott Memorial Nursing Scholarship. Established by the Abbott family in 1981, the scholarship memorializes the late Arizona State University alumna and Phoenix educator, Mary Kevin Abbott.
The unlikely University of Arizona memorial resulted from the superb care Mary Abbott received while being treated for acute leukemia at University Medical Center.
“It was obvious during my mother’s stay that the nursing staff took excellent care of her, but they also provided her and the family with hope, and then with support when hope was lost,” said Mary’s daughter, Nancy Abbott, at a Feb. 23 College of Nursing Scholarship Tea.
“She mentioned that she loved the UA nursing students,” Abbott continued. “When one student nurse played guitar for her, it transported her, and she forgot about being sick for a short time.”
That guitar-playing UA nursing alumna, Raynham E. Hauber, also presented at the scholarship tea.
“When I was speaking with the nursing students, I encouraged them to integrate the different talents and gifts they have to help make each day meaningful to their patients,” Hauber said. “Even little things bring life to the day-to-day difficulties patients face.” Mary Abbott, who passed away in 1981 at age 62, had four children, three of whom graduated from ASU. Today, her legacy lives on through 11 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren, three of whom have earned or are pursuing UA degrees.
Her memorial scholarship serves as a reminder of the special ways UMC nurses and UA nursing students helped the Abbott family through a difficult time. “I will be forever grateful to these nurses for providing such wonderful care to comfort my mother in her final days,” Nancy said.
At the scholarship tea, Nancy also shared her donor’s perspective of scholarship funding.
“You don’t have to be wealthy to contribute to university foundations,” she said. “Give what you can, any way you can, any time you can. Having a scholarship in our mother’s name at the UA College of Nursing has been a source of comfort to the Abbott family for many years. The scholarship was awarded for the first time in 1983 and will hopefully continue for a long time to come.”
This academic year, nearly four out of five UA nursing students — at both the undergraduate and graduate levels — received financial assistance, according to Judith Brown, director of development and community affairs in the UA College of Nursing.
“Many of our students are the first in their family to go to college,” Brown says. “Endowed scholarship support, like the Abbott scholarship, will help students, in perpetuity, to attain their dreams of becoming a nurse and enable them to give back to their community by providing exceptional patient care.”
Association awards Asian American students, faculty, and staff
by Allison ViethThe UA’s Asian American Faculty, Staff, and Alumni Association (AAFSAA) was founded in 1989 to foster, promote, and enhance the unity of Asian American faculty, staff, alumni, and community members.
The group ensures some of The University of Arizona’s most talented and financially challenged students have access to higher education, and helps to recruit and retain the very best faculty and staff.
Through the work of AAFSAA members and many dedicated supporters, an endowment of $125,000 established in 1997 has grown to more than $250,000. Today, the AAFSAA awards more than $60,000 in student scholarships each year.
Richtress Orteza, a scholarship recipient, credits the AAFSAA for giving her the financial freedom to study at the university. She applied for the AAFSAA scholarship in hope of returning to the UA after financial instability influenced her transfer to Pima Community College.
“I was determined to apply for a scholarship because I was so eager to finish my degree,” says Orteza, who had been supporting herself working full-time in retail. “The scholarship allowed me to work fewer hours and focus more on my studies.”
Orteza graduated in December 2008 with an interdisciplinary studies degree focused on public health, business, and thematic science.
Business economics senior Christopher San Jose also found financial relief with the assistance of an AAFSAA scholarship.
“When I received the scholarship I felt more fortunate than anything else,” San Jose says. “I knew that an opportunity like this does not present itself often. My academic goal is to pursue a degree in business economics. After I graduate, I plan to pursue a full-time job and hope one day to be an owner of a business.”
The AAFSAA awards students like Orteza and San Jose who attend the UA full-time and portray excellent skills in service of the university community. Student scholars are supported by outstanding faculty and staff members who mentor, inspire, and support their academic success.
Each year, the AAFSAA recognizes faculty and staff for their dedication and exemplary service to the UA community.
The 2008 AAFSAA Outstanding Faculty Awards were given to Wenxin Zheng of the Department of Pathology and Myra Muramoto of the Department of Family and Community Medicine. James Li, assistant track and field coach, was selected as the 2008 AAFSAA Outstanding Staff Award recipient.
Endowed Scholarship Honors Medical Professional and Alumnus Roman W. DeSanctis
By Allison ViethIn honor of University of Arizona alumnus Dr. Roman W. DeSanctis, a scholarship was created in 2001 by the UA Alumni Association. The scholarship pays tribute to the esteemed doctor’s many years of practicing, teaching, and performing clinical research.
DeSanctis takes great pride in educating and mentoring medical students, several of whom have gone to work in cardiology leadership positions around the world.
Since the scholarship’s inception, approximately $360,000 has been given to support the education of upperclass premedical students. This year, $15,000 was awarded to six students, who each received $2,500. Scholarship amounts vary annually.
At the time the scholarship fund was created, Edith “Edie” Auslander, former development director for the UA Alumni Association, wrote to DeSanctis’ friends, asking them to make contributions for aspiring medical students. Auslander says she received an overwhelming reply, with a response of more than 50 percent.
“Usually you don’t receive that kind of response from a direct-mail appeal,” Auslander says. “As a result, an endowment was started in his name.”
DeSanctis graduated from the UA summa cum laude in 1951, and graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Medical School in 1955. After interning at Massachusetts General Hospital, DeSanctis was an assistant to the attending physician to Congress for three years while serving in the United States Navy.
In 1962, he returned to Massachusetts General and was the director of clinical cardiology from 1981 to 1998. He was acting chief of the Cardiac Unit from 1989 to 1991.
DeSanctis has received many awards for his outstanding achievements, including Master of the American College of Physicians and Distinguished Fellow of the American College of Cardiology.
Contributions to the DeSanctis Scholarship Fund may be mailed to:
The University of Arizona Foundation
Attn: Kristin Rennels
1111 N. Cherry Ave. P.O. Box 210109
Tucson, AZ 85721
Checks should be made payable to:
UAF/Roman W. DeSanctis Scholarship
The Marshall Foundation Dissertation Fellowship
Six University of Arizona doctoral degree candidates are the recipients of this year’s prestigious Marshall Foundation Dissertation Fellowships. Student funding includes a $10,788 stipend toward final-phase dissertation support, in addition to a two-semester tuition scholarship.
Fellowship recipient Keith Lombardo, a doctoral student in geography, expressed his gratitude for the award. Without it, financial restraints might have caused him delay in finishing his dissertation.
“The fellowship is a tremendous honor and has been enormously helpful in the pursuit of my Ph.D.,” Lombardo says. “The Marshall Fellowship has allowed me to concentrate on finishing my dissertation within the next six months without distraction.”
The Marshall Foundation is a strong supporter of the Tucson nonprofit community. It has contributed millions of dollars to fund university undergraduate and graduate scholarships throughout the past quarter of a century.
2008-09 Fellowship RecipientsRoland Marmon
Marmon is a doctoral candidate in American Indian Studies. Marmon’s dissertation is titled, “Last Card Played, an Alternative History of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Treaty of 1892.”
Rachel Wilhite
Wilhite is a doctoral candidate in public health, with a focus on epidemiology. Her dissertation is titled, “Chlamydia Pnuemoniae: A Novel Approach to the Etiological Processes of Inflammation in Lung Function and Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease in African Americans: the Jackson Heart Study.”
Ida Rose Florez
Florez is a doctoral candidate in educational psychology. Her dissertation is titled, “The Relationship of Instructional Method to Undergraduate Prospective Teachers’ Learning, Cognitive Processes, Affect, and Decision Making Skills.” Florez’ research is designed to help strengthen early childhood education in Arizona.
Keith Lombardo
Lombardo is a geography doctoral candidate whose dissertation is titled, “Multi-century Reconstruction of Southern California Chaparral Fire History Using Fire-scarred Big-cone Douglas Fir.” Using tree-ring data, Lombardo’s dissertation will give more than 400 years of spatially specific fire evidence for one of the most fire-prone environments in the world.
Lezlie Moriniere
Moriniere is a doctoral candidate in arid-land studies. She
is working on her dissertation, “A Well-founded Fear of Climate Extremes: Tracing the Footprint of Environment Migrants.” Moriniere performs research for Tufts, the World Bank, and the Encyclopedia of Disasters. She says she “aims to be an applied researcher in a global research facility linked to the United Nations.”
Matthew Scholz
Scholz is an agriculture and biosystems engineering doctoral candidate. Scholz’ dissertation is titled, “Microbial Biofuel Cogeneration.” For his research, he says he is using “industrial waste products to feed the growth of a matched set of microbes to produce biodiesel and bioethanol.”
Wildcat Club Offers Avenue for Fans and Alumni to Support Student-Athletes
From UA Walk-On to American Record-Holder, Lara Jackson Swims Her Way to the Topby Allison Vieth
University of Arizona swimmer Lara Jackson appears right at home at Hillenbrand Aquatic Center, wearing a large red and blue fuzzy robe over her swimsuit on a chilly January afternoon. She just finished a two-hour practice — her second of the day.
The UA senior lives and breathes her sport. She holds American records in the 50-yard freestyle, 200-yard relay, and 400-yard medley relay. Records don’t seem to faze Jackson, though. She shrugs her shoulders when asked how it feels to know she’s the fastest to ever swim those races.
“It’s hard to swallow — in a good way, though,” she says. “It’s definitely a big accomplishment and something I was gunning for.”
The 22-year-old began swimming when she was 10 years old, after attending her older sister’s swim practice. Since then, she has been in the pool year-round, swimming for club and school teams, including her high school team in El Paso, Texas.
When she began looking at colleges, Jackson knew the UA was where she wanted to swim. She wasn’t recruited by Arizona, but is grateful the coaches let her walk on.
“Thank God they let me walk on,” Jackson says. “It doesn’t get any better than this. I love being around the team and would be miserable anywhere else.”
Jackson, a scholarship recipient, says her award has helped take financial stress off her parents.
During her career at Arizona, Jackson has broken school records in the 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard butterfly, 200-yard medley relay, and 200-yard and 400-yard freestyle relays. She checked a national championship off her to-do list after the team took the title in March 2008.
“Winning the NCAA title was a team thing,” she says. “To get 18 girls to do well for three days in a row is hard. You need every piece of the puzzle to win.”
Jackson plans to train for the 2012 Olympic Games. Her Olympic dreams were put on hold when she placed third at the Olympic Trials in summer 2008. Only the top-two swimmers in each event qualify for the Olympics.
“I would have a bitter taste in my mouth if I didn’t try again,” Jackson says. “I know what I want, and go after it vigorously. If I don’t get it, I go after it harder.”
The Wildcat Club is a University of Arizona donor group dedicated to providing financial support for scholarships, state-of-the-art facilities, equipment, team travel, and all the other tools that help Arizona student-athletes succeed on and off the field.
Wildcat Club members play an important role in leading a successful Arizona Athletics program. Annual gifts of $100 or more to the Wildcat Club general scholarship fund helps enrich the student-athlete experience at Arizona.
Loyal Arizona supporters who join the Wildcat Club also gain a variety of benefits and receive priority for tickets, parking, and special events.
Join the Wildcat Club Today!
Phone: 520-621-CLUB
E-mail: wildcatclub@arizona.edu
Web: www.wildcatclub.org
Fulfilling Dreams
Nate Ness looks forward to playing in NFL, changing children’s livesby Allison Vieth
Just a few minutes past 2 p.m., UA football standout safety Nate Ness strolls into McKale Center bearing a warm smile. Growing up in a rough neighborhood in Gardena, Calif., just outside of Los Angeles, Ness knew he needed to keep clear of negative distractions. Football was his key.
Ness, a successful all-around high-school athlete, made his way to play football at El Camino College, where he was twice named first-team All-American, and was quickly noticed by Division-1 schools, including Arizona.
“One game, against Mount San Antonio, Coach Tui [UA defensive line Coach Mike Tuiasosopo] was there and liked what I did,” he says.
“I got an offer from Arizona and they came to meet my family.”
Ness visited the university to explore the campus lifestyle and academic opportunities. “My mom was really strict about academics, so I had to check out all the academic stuff first,” he says.
When Ness received a football scholarship to the UA his life changed dramatically. He knew it was an opportunity to earn a college education and pursue his dream of one day playing in the NFL.
“College is not cheap,” he says. “The scholarship helped me have a way to go to college. I appreciate it so much — not many people get opportunities like this.”
Ness became a starter for Arizona his junior year, and as a senior, he played in every game, registered 70 tackles, and was one of four team captains.
In March, Ness participated in UA Pro Day, where he impressed NFL scouts. Ness is scheduled to graduate in May with a degree in sociology. He also has plenty of leadership responsibilities off the field, including fatherhood.
“I really had to get my act together after my son was born,” he says. “I want to be a role model to him.”
In April, Ness signed a free-agent contract with the Cleveland Browns. He also has goals of coaching and giving back to his high school. He hopes to positively influence the lives of children, specifically from low-income families, and show them they can achieve greatness.
“A lot of people can’t get out of Gardena,” Ness says. “They need to know there is a lot more than just staying there — you can see the world.”
UA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION SCHOLARSHIPS
The UA Alumni Association awards scholarships to UA students through its chapter and clubs program. Chapters and clubs around the country raise money at events and activities to award to students living in their areas.
Albuquerque (ZiaCats) |
Portland |
UA alumni multicultural clubs, supported by the Alumni Association, also raise money to support students. The clubs include the Hispanic Alumni Club; Phoenix Hispanic Alumni Club; Asian American Faculty, Staff, and Alumni Association; the American Indian Club; Black Alumni Club; and the Maricopa County Black Alumni Club.
Most notably, the Hispanic Alumni Club awarded $503,000 in scholarships to 244 students in 2008-09. The awardees enroll in a scholarship- retention program designed to provide the necessary tools to succeed in college. UA Hispanic Alumni Club scholars have a 90 percent graduation rate.
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