College Scholarships

An anonymous donor is playing secret Santa with at least a dozen colleges and universities nationwide, but instead of giving $5 trinkets this Santa has left schools with $1 million to $10 million gifts, The New York Times reports (“Anonymous Donor Gives Millions to Colleges,” April 24, 2009).

Over the past two months the donor has given away $70 million to select schools. To remain anonymous, the donor employs a bank to contact the schools either with a call or letter that relays sentiments similar to what was written in one letter: “It is hoped that this will make a substantial difference to your students during these challenging times… enabling a more confident, sharper focus on their studies with improve career and life prospects.”

None of the school officials at the selected schools know whether the donations are coming from a man, woman, or organization, and no one seems to want to jeopardize their gift by speculating too much about the reasoning behind the donor’s selections. There’s a pretty clear consensus, however, that the schools share one common trait: they’re all led by women.

Lois DeFleur, president of Binghamton University in New York, is more than fine with this reasoning, if it is indeed the case, “The actions say, ‘I’m investing in an institution because it has achievements and I believe that with women leaders it will have future accomplishments.’ That’s pretty powerful in my view.”

The donations, which at some schools have been the single largest donation in the school’s history, have ranged from the $10 million given to Michigan State University, to the $1.5 million given to the University of North Carolina in Asheville. In return the donor has asked for complete anonymity and for the majority of the donation — 50 percent to 80 percent of the total donation in each case — to be used for financial aid.

The schools say they are extremely grateful for being chosen, particularly since higher education institutions across the country have seen an increasing demand for financial aid at the same time that state funding and endowments are drying up.

“In the best of times we never have enough scholarship money for students who have financial need,” said Susan Cole, president of Montclair State University in New Jersey. “In these difficult times, that is multiplied. The gift is incredibly important to us. I cannot adequately express the depth of our gratitude.”