Scholarship Program

Because of the generosity of donors, The Marshall University Foundation Inc. is able to extend to more than 500 students the opportunity to receive private scholarships. Students who receive support are chosen on the basis of criteria representing the wishes of the donors and the academic guidelines of the university. Unless otherwise specified, the awards may be renewable for four years, providing the recipients maintain eligibility standards. All scholarships are awarded on the basis of merit and qualifications.

Once the number of eligible applicants is determined, the director of financial aid awards the various named scholarships to applicants who meet the designated guidelines. In some cases, a recipient may receive more than one scholarship as part of the total award. Endowed scholarships may be established through private gifts that include cash, securities, insurance policies, bequests, trusts and annuities.

An endowed scholarship may be established at Marshall with a gift of $10,000 or more now or through a deferred gift plan. The annual interest earned comprises the perpetual award, and the corpus of the fund remains intact with only ninety (90) percent of the interest income per year used in support of the scholarship. The remaining ten (10) percent is then added to increase the corpus of the fund.

Another method of providing private scholarship support is through expendable awards which are based on annual contributions of $1,000 or more, which are directly applied to the scholarship for the recipient's educational expenses.

With both endowed and expendable scholarships, the donor has the opportunity to participate in establishing guidelines and in determining the name of the award. Scholarships may be made in memory of or in honor of someone very special, making the gift particularly meaningful to the donor.

All gifts are made to The Marshall University Foundation Inc., which accepts scholarship funds where selection is not based solely on any of the following criteria unless university policy indicates otherwise: race, gender, religion, handicap or national origin.

An exception to the scholarship procedure is the competitive process for applying to the Society of Yeager Scholars and The John Marshall Scholarship Program.

We would be pleased to meet with you, your attorney and other advisors to discuss the most convenient method for you to make a financial commitment to Marshall. The information provided here is not a substitute for qualified legal or financial counsel. Remember, tax and estate laws change frequently. We urge you to seek legal advice to ensure that your preferences are fully accomodated.

All gifts are made to: The Marshall University Foundation Inc.