Scholarships benefit graduates of Washington County, Manhattan high schools majoring in business at K-State.
Dennis and Sally von Waaden have endowed gifts to the College of Business Administration at Kansas State University to establish the Dennis von Waaden Business Scholarship, which benefits graduates of Washington County High School in Washington, KS, and the Sally Barr von Waaden Business Scholarship to benefit students from Manhattan High School in Manhattan, KS.
The Dennis von Waaden Business Scholarship is designated for undergraduate students enrolled in the College of Business Administration who maintain a 3.25 GPA or higher, with priority consideration given to students who graduated from Washington County High School, as part of USD 108 Washington County. Secondary consideration is given to students who meet the qualifications and have graduated from high school in USD 223, which serves Barnes, Hanover and Linn, KS.
The Sally Barr von Waaden Business Scholarship is designated for undergraduate students enrolled in the College of Business Administration at Kansas State University who maintain a 3.25 GPA or higher and who are graduates of Manhattan High School, USD 383 Manhattan-Ogden.
Dennis von Waaden is a 1958 graduate of Washington High School and 1962 graduate of Kansas State University with a degree in business administration. Named to the College of Business Administration’s Financial Executives Hall of Fame in 2015, he is a member and past chair of the College of Business Administration Dean’s Advisory Council and has also been a member of the college’s Department of Finance Advisory Board. He was named Business Leader of the Year by the College of Business Administration in 2001; served as the college’s Alumni Fellow in 1994; and was a member of the campus chapter of Alpha Kappa Psi, the business fraternity.
Sally von Waaden is a 1959 graduate of Manhattan High School and majored in business education at Kansas State University. She was employed by American Century Investments until her retirement.
The von Waadens are members of the Kansas State University Foundation’s President’s Club which honors lifetime giving; 1863 Circle, which honors leadership in annual giving; National Leadership Circle of the Ahearn Fund, which recognizes leadership in support of K-State Athletics; and the Land Grant Legacy Society, which honors those who include a gift to the university in their estate plans.
“We hope our scholarships will help students graduate and find a good job,” the von Waadens said. Our long-term goal is these graduates will then give back to K-State.”
“Dennis and Sally’s commitment to K-State, our business administration students and to our faculty have made it possible for Kansas students to gain a world-class business education with hands-on learning and state-of-the-art practices that equip them — as graduates — to lead in an ever-changing and demanding economy,” said Kevin Gwinner, Edgerly family dean of the College of Business Administration.
These latest gifts further demonstrate the von Waadens’ commitment to Kansas State University student success. The von Waadens have been significant supporters of the college’s Integrated Investment Management Initiative, helping to create the von Waaden Student Investment Portfolio that allows students pursuing the integrated investment certificate to make real-world investment decisions.
Philanthropic contributions to Kansas State University are coordinated by the KSU Foundation, which is leading the Innovation and Inspiration: The Campaign for Kansas State University to raise $1 billion for student success, faculty development, facility enhancement and programmatic success.
