April 7, 2003
Contact: Mark Anderson (509-963-1493/fax 509-963-2301/e-mail andemark@cwu.edu)
ELLENSBURG, Wash. - As a high school senior in 1999, Kathryn
McGinnis envisioned blazing right through college and launching a
successful career in medicine. She selected Central Washington
University as the institution that would launch this ambitious journey.
Just one major obstacle hindered McGinnis from pursuing her dreams --
money.
“I would not have been able to come to Central without a
scholarship,” McGinnis recalls.
Through the help of her guidance counselor at Pasco High
School, McGinnis applied for several CWU and community scholarships.
Her efforts paid big dividends. “Scholarships helped pay for my entire
first year, and I’ve had some kind of scholarship ever since,” she
said. “Some have been from Central and some from private groups.”
McGinnis’ success story is one Dr. Paul Baker, CWU vice
president of university relations, wishes more students can realize.
“Scholarships are a great answer to tuition concerns and underwrite
CWU’s commitment to attracting and retaining highly qualified
students,” Baker affirms. “I want to make it clear that, despite
disappointing national economic news on investments, CWU will continue
to offer substantial scholarship aid to students for the 2003-2004
academic year.”
Baker reports that the CWU Foundation has received more than
$3 million in new pledges and gifts for scholarships thus far in fiscal
year 2003.
“This is a record amount in response to President Jerilyn S.
McIntyre’s ‘Students First Initiative,’” Baker notes. “Our commitment
to support student scholars is stronger than ever.”
McGinnis, winner of CWU’s Hal Wolf Memorial Scholarship and
Dennis Farrell Pre-Med Memorial Scholarship (full tuition, books, and
fees for a year) and Lillian Bloomer Scholarship (awarded by the
Douglas Honors College), says CWU’s ongoing commitment to students is
welcome news, especially considering these unstable times.
“Scholarships are a way in which quality students who cannot
afford to pay for their education can still attend Central. Also,
knowing money is available serves as an incentive to become involved in
the community and on campus and maintain academic excellence.”
