Scholarships Benefit Students

For Megan Weaver, the Evelyn Lare Smith Endowed Scholarship could not have arrived at a better time. Megan, a Park University sophomore majoring in biology, relies on summer employment to pay a large portion of her college expenses. Last summer, she was out of work for two months due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Evelyn Lare Smith Endowed Scholarship is awarded to a woman pursuing a degree in chemistry or another science at Park University. Megan is a sophomore majoring in biology and minoring in chemistry. Her undergraduate education at Park will prepare her for veterinary school and an eventual career in canine medicine.

The scholarship Megan received is one of 100 endowed scholarships available to Park students of all backgrounds and majors. Established from an initial donation of $25,000 or more, an endowed scholarship is awarded from the interest on the fund while the principal is never spent.

Ongoing donations to existing scholarship funds help grow the principal, which increases the interest available for scholarships. By contributing to an endowed scholarship fund, donors can invest in the future of their profession by supporting students in their field. Their gift might honor a former professor or Park alumnus for whom the scholarship is named.

A gift of any size to an endowed scholarship fund has a lasting impact on Park students. Beyond the financial support, a scholarship is a vote of confidence in a student’s ability.

“Being selected for a scholarship really helped my motivation to keep moving forward,” Megan said. “It feels like people believe in me and are cheering me on.”

To learn more about endowing a scholarship, contact Jenny Keane at 816-584-6846 or jenny.keane@park.edu.

This story was written as part of the 2019-2020 Impact Report.