From our family to yours

Dr. Larry Ganong and Dr. Marilyn Coleman created a family matching scholarship for graduate students researching family transitions.

Last spring Dr. Larry Ganong, the Chancellor’s professor in the department of Human Development and Family Science at the University of Missouri, received the College of Human Ecology Alumni Fellow Award at Kansas State University.

This made Larry take a moment to reflect on his career with his wife, Dr. Marilyn Coleman, the Curators’ distinguished professor Emerita in the department of Human Development and Family Science at the University of Missouri. They recalled that their scholarly focus has been the same for decades; families experiencing structural transitions. 

Their reflection turned into them talking about the idea to support future researchers and educators who share an interest in their chosen area of study.

“Our long careers have been spent trying to understand resilience processes among these individuals and families and developing ways to offer support to them,” Marilyn said. “We want to financially support this work at K-State.”

And that’s exactly what they did, with the Lawrence Ganong and Marilyn Coleman – Ice Family Scholarship. It will support graduate students who will contribute to the understanding of individuals and families who have experienced divorce, remarriage and other family transitions.

“We know there are other faculty at K-State who share this interest. Like one of our former graduate students, Dr. Melinda Markham, who has done some excellent research in family transitions,” Larry said. “We hope this scholarship will help financially support great students who work with them.”

With the K-State Family Scholarship Program, new gifts of $30,000 are matched with $30,000 from the seed fund provided by Carl and Mary Ice, for a total of $60,000. $10,000 goes into an expendable fund, making a $2,000 scholarship 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.

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 at 785-775-2007 or by email.

The K-State Family Scholarship Program supports Innovation and Inspiration: The Campaign for Kansas State University, raising 1.4 billion in support of K-State students, faculty and programs.

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