A scholarship to increase adult learners’ access to higher education and K-State’s Global Campus
For Sue Maes and Dennis Hemmendinger, giving back to Kansas State University had always been part of their family’s plan. The KSU Foundation Family Scholarship match initiative provided these K-State alumni the opportunity to step forward and bring their gift to reality.
“I always wanted to give something back,” Maes said. “After 48 years with K-State and 10 as dean of Global Campus, I know how important it is to establish scholarships to give adult learners access to higher education. Global Campus is one of the best mechanisms to do this.”
Throughout her K-State career, Maes has witnessed the unique impact scholarships made available to adult learners can have. Many adults have stopped out of their college education. Some individuals joined the military, some started a family, others sought employment. Giving part-time adult students a college opportunity is critical to the future of our state. As these dedicated adult learners are able to access funds to enter higher education, they are able to powerfully act on their own — and often their family’s — promising future.
“We had the idea of creating a scholarship for several years,” Hemmendinger said. “The added match was the key.”
Both Maes and Hemmendinger regard the K-State Family Scholarship initiative as an important catalyst to make an innovative gift to the K-State family.
“Anytime you can double your gift provides the momentum to step forward and bring your gift to reality,” Maes said. “The opportunity to have a generous match and make these incredibly valuable scholarships available was what inspired us to step forward.”
New gifts of $30,000 are matched with $30,000 from the seed fund, for a total gift of $60,000. $10,000 goes into an expendable fund, making $2,000 scholarships available to be awarded to students immediately. The remaining $50,000 goes into the endowment, ensuring future generations of Wildcats will receive scholarships as well.
“Kansas State University is an exceptionally caring and supportive university,” Maes said. “As pat as it sounds, giving back inspires us. We’ve been blessed and able to achieve, and now we are able to give back to people who also need opportunities to move forward in their educational obtainment.”
Learn more about how you can take advantage of matching opportunities through the K-State Family Scholarship Program at ksufoundation.org/family, or contact John Morris, senior vice president of development, via email or 785-532-7587.
This gift supports Innovation and Inspiration: The Campaign for Kansas State University to raise $1.4 billion to propel Kansas State University toward becoming a top 50 public research university by 2025.
