Giving By Example

Faculty, staff gifts support undergrad scholarships

With a focus on student affordability, the 2014-15 “Krannert Gives” campaign led to a significant increase in the number of faculty and staff supporting the school through payroll deduction.

The campaign encouraged Krannert faculty and staff to support undergraduate scholarships. When the campaign began, only three percent of Krannert faculty and staff contributed through payroll deduction; that figure increased to more than 17 percent. Thanks to the campaign, Krannert is one of very few units on campus with a dedicated employee-giving program.

“This campaign shows the students that we care about their success. We do it in the classroom, in our staff support roles, and we can do it financially as well,” says David Hummels, dean of the Krannert School. “A student who receives a scholarship paid out of the pocket of faculty or staff members will find it incredibly meaningful.”

The campaign challenged staff and faculty to view Krannert as not just a workplace where they leave with a check, but also as a community and a place of belonging that is supportive to all involved.

“Along with loving Krannert and its community, I saw this as an opportunity to give as tribute to the memory of Professor Roko Aliprantis, an economics professor I worked with and thought very highly of,” says Shelley Corbin, administrative office manager to Dean Hummels. “This campaign helps provide needed resources to implement and support Krannert’s important initiatives.”

According to Hummels, the campaign is also part of Krannert’s efforts to join with President Mitch Daniels in positioning Purdue to set the standard in higher education for affordability. The scholarships supported through “Krannert Gives” are designed to make a Krannert education more affordable for undergraduate students in areas including management, economics, the Business Opportunity Program and the Women in Management Program.

“It’s important for us to signal to the president and the provost that we care about University initiatives,” Hummels says. “Student affordability has been a big focus for the president and it is for Krannert as well.”

Melissa Evens, director of the Undergraduate Communication Center, knows firsthand the impact of scholarships for undergraduates. She works closely with students in her position at Krannert, and her son also received scholarships to support his undergraduate education.

“It feels good to pay it forward,” Evens says. “I know the magnitude of how scholarships can change lives. When students receive scholarships, it connects them to a community and shows that we believe in them. It gives them a spark and pushes them to move the world forward.”

NEXT: Purdue Federal, Development Team Up for Scholarship

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