Lincoln University Scholarship Foundation Distributes Peak Funding This Year

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The 62nd and 65th Legacy Foundation Regiments awarded more than $200,000 in scholarships to Lincoln University students this year, the highest in its 52-year history.

Scholarship amounts vary by fund, but support 91 students attending Lincoln this fall.

“This is the highest amount we have given,” said executive director Sylvia James Wilson. “If I understand correctly, before that, I believe we had awarded up to $150,000 for an academic year. This is a record year.”

The Legacy Foundation, a nonprofit scholarship affiliated with Lincoln since 1970, operates more than 150 scholarship funds with a wide range of requirements and qualifications. Scholarship funds are supported by donors, who can choose to contribute to an existing fund or create an entirely new one.

Wilson said some funds offer a bursary large enough to cover the cost of textbooks, while others are considerably higher. She said she could not provide an average amount for the 91 students who received them this year.

A reception for Fellows is planned for the Lincoln Homecoming festivities on Thursday, September 29. RSVPs are required for the reception in the Student Union Ballroom.

The scholarship total of $200,000 represents a 41% increase from last year, when the foundation awarded approximately $118,000 in scholarships to approximately 50 students. Before that, Wilson said a rift between the university and the foundation resulted in even fewer awards.

“We’re back on track towards where we want to be,” she said.

Foundation President Hardy Dorsey said he was excited about the increase in nominations and awards this year.

“Our students are in financial need and I am truly grateful for the continued generosity of our donors and their strong commitment to the mission of this organization,” he said in a press release. “As we continue to grow our numbers, we encourage our alumni and friends to make their annual pledges for 2022 to meet the funding needs of (of) our students.”

Wilson said she expects the Legacy Foundation to expand and award more scholarships next year, but that depends on students applying and meeting the scholarship fund criteria.

She said word of mouth and on-campus advertisements helped boost the number of applicants this year. In total, the foundation received about 95 applications, she said.

The Legacy Foundation closed its scholarship application period for the 2022-23 academic year on August 15. Applications for the 2023-24 academic year will open on November 1 and scholarships will begin in March 2023.

When the next application period opens, Wilson encourages students to apply early and have the required documents ready.

She also said she wanted to invite more people from the local community to join the Legacy Foundation donor group. Wilson said donating to scholarship funds is one of the most rewarding ways to support students in their pursuit of an education.

“Students are doing their part: they’re earning grades, enrolling at Lincoln University, and preparing for a future outside of Lincoln,” Wilson said. “We have so many people who care enough about us to help fund this enough that finances don’t become a burden on some of these students.”

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