 |
Senior Circle initiative chairs: (from left to right) Teddy Darlington, Katie McIlvain, Molly Bogner and Andrew Young. |
Designed to educate seniors about giving back to the university, the 2009 Senior Circle initiative allows class members to make contributions to a scholarship that will benefit a deserving first-year student from Wittenberg's Upward Bound program. Established in 1965, Wittenberg's Upward Bound is a pre-college preparatory program designed to motivate and provide academic skills for students from first-generation college and low-income families who are interested in pursuing an educational program beyond high school. A total of 95 students participate in the program each year.
Senior Circle is a Wittenberg tradition in which graduating classes challenge one another to make gifts to the university that keep with the distinctive motto "Having Light We Pass It On To Others."
"The officers decided early on to choose a scholarship for Senior Circle," said Senior Class President Andrew Tomko from North Olmsted, Ohio. "Following discussions with the class officers, it was determined that the scholarship would be awarded to a local student. Upward Bound was an obvious choice because the program is well respected and nationally recognized."
The scholarship will be awarded based on the candidate's financial need, character, service and leadership potential, not necessarily academic success.
"It is very important to our class that a student who has lived in Springfield and dreamed of attending Wittenberg but due to personal or financial circumstances believed that goal was not attainable. This is an opportunity for their dream to become a reality," Tomko said. "I have met personally with students who participated in the program. During their time with the Upward Bound program students become a family.
"I look at my class and friends here at Wittenberg in a similar light; we are all part of a big family. I want to continue support from our Wittenberg family to the Upward Bound family for years to come."
Senior Circle chairs for the class of 2009 include Andrew Young from Mansfield, Ohio, Katie McIlvain from East Liverpool, Ohio, Mary Bogner from Wooster, Ohio, and Teddy Darlington from Dublin, Ohio.
To make a contribution or to acquire additional information about Senior Circle, contact Wittenberg Fund Assistant Director Chelsea White at (937) 327-7428 or via e-mail at cwhite@wittenberg.edu.
Written By: Ryan Maurer
046-09
| Related Links:
|
