UW Alumni Donate $175M To Help Students Attend College
Gift Thought To Be One Of Largest Philanthropic Donations In State History
Updated: 7:49 am CST December 19, 2007
MADISON, Wis. -- Two philanthropists announced Tuesday that they are donating $175 million to found the "Fund For Wisconsin Scholars," which will work as a complement to Gov. Jim Doyle's Wisconsin Covenant program.
VIDEO: Watch The ReportThe donation from John and Tashia Morgridge will fund a permanent endowment for Wisconsin high school graduates to attend colleges and technical schools in the state.The gift is thought to be one of the largest philanthropic donations in state history.The Fund For Wisconsin Scholars will award close to 2,000 grants next year, ranging from $1,000 to $5,000, and roughly 3,000 scholarships each year thereafter to eligible students. The Morgridges said they are looking for additional contributions to the foundation to grow the program.UW-Madison Chancellor John Wiley, who called the gift "nothing short of magnificent," said that eligibility will likely be targeted at families earning less than about $50,000 a year."Supporting need-based scholarships at this level will make the dream of a college degree a solid reality for thousands of Wisconsin families," Wiley said in a statement Tuesday.Doyle said the grants help create a huge commitment to the state's students."This is just an incredible thing, and to me perhaps one of the most important gifts that anybody could make and investments anybody could make into the future of the state," Doyle said.The program is designed to help the Wisconsin Covenant Program, which the Legislature approved this year. The Wisconsin Covenant guarantees a spot at a state college or university to every student who signs a pledge to get good grades and stay out of trouble.Students interested in applying for a Fund For Wisconsin Scholars grant only need to fill out a FAFSA form, which is the typical form students use to apply for financial aid. Need will be determined through that process, and grants will be awarded through the University of Wisconsin and tech college systems in addition to state and federal financial aid.The Morgridges said they are looking for additional contributions to the foundation to grow the program.John Morgridge is the former chairman of Cisco Systems. Tashia Morgridge is a retired elementary special education teacher. The couple now lives in California. They announced the scholarship program at Green Bay West High School on Tuesday.The couple graduated from UW-Madison in 1955 and have now donated well over $250 million to support education and research at UW-Madison. Last year, they donated $50 million for the Institutes of Discovery and Research Center.
VIDEO: Watch The ReportThe donation from John and Tashia Morgridge will fund a permanent endowment for Wisconsin high school graduates to attend colleges and technical schools in the state.The gift is thought to be one of the largest philanthropic donations in state history.The Fund For Wisconsin Scholars will award close to 2,000 grants next year, ranging from $1,000 to $5,000, and roughly 3,000 scholarships each year thereafter to eligible students. The Morgridges said they are looking for additional contributions to the foundation to grow the program.UW-Madison Chancellor John Wiley, who called the gift "nothing short of magnificent," said that eligibility will likely be targeted at families earning less than about $50,000 a year."Supporting need-based scholarships at this level will make the dream of a college degree a solid reality for thousands of Wisconsin families," Wiley said in a statement Tuesday.Doyle said the grants help create a huge commitment to the state's students."This is just an incredible thing, and to me perhaps one of the most important gifts that anybody could make and investments anybody could make into the future of the state," Doyle said.The program is designed to help the Wisconsin Covenant Program, which the Legislature approved this year. The Wisconsin Covenant guarantees a spot at a state college or university to every student who signs a pledge to get good grades and stay out of trouble.Students interested in applying for a Fund For Wisconsin Scholars grant only need to fill out a FAFSA form, which is the typical form students use to apply for financial aid. Need will be determined through that process, and grants will be awarded through the University of Wisconsin and tech college systems in addition to state and federal financial aid.The Morgridges said they are looking for additional contributions to the foundation to grow the program.John Morgridge is the former chairman of Cisco Systems. Tashia Morgridge is a retired elementary special education teacher. The couple now lives in California. They announced the scholarship program at Green Bay West High School on Tuesday.The couple graduated from UW-Madison in 1955 and have now donated well over $250 million to support education and research at UW-Madison. Last year, they donated $50 million for the Institutes of Discovery and Research Center.
Previous Stories:
- November 1, 2007: $40M Gift Will Support Higher Education Program
- June 6, 2007: Doyle's 'Covenant' Program Clears Budget Committee
- May 10, 2007: Doyle Helps Students Sign Covenant
- September 6, 2006: Doyle Signs Covenant To Help Students Attain Higher Ed
- May 5, 2006: Doyle Seeks Support For College 'Covenant' Plan
- April 3, 2006: Alumni Will Contribute To Research Institutes
Copyright 2007 by Channel 3000. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
