October 4, 2008

Purdue $304 million scholarship campaign reaches quarter mark

Purdue Varsity Glee Club
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The late Agnes Sopcak made the bequest to expand the endowed scholarship in her brother's name that benefits undergraduate students in the Purdue Varsity Glee Club who have a financial need. The gift toward the Access and Success drive was announced at a President's Council event.

"Gifts like this bring talented students to Purdue and help ensure that they get the support they need to succeed," President France A. Córdova said. "The Access and Success campaign to expand student aid and support programs is a major part of the university's new strategic plan."

Sopcak, who retired as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve after 25 years, died in August in Valparaiso, Ind. Although she did not attend Purdue, she was a lifetime member of the Engineering Dean's Club and in her lifetime had given Purdue $85,000 for scholarships.

She made the bequest to the Charles F. Sopcak Memorial Scholarship Fund, an endowed scholarship fund established earlier in the name of her brother Charles, who was a former member of the Purdue Varsity Glee Club. He also participated in Sigma Alpha Epsilon social fraternity, University Choir, Camera Club, Newman Club and Pi Tau Sigma mechanical engineering academic honor society while at Purdue.

Charles earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue in 1940 and also was a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Another brother, Edward, earned a bachelor's degree in materials engineering from Purdue in 1942. While a student at Purdue, Edward was involved in many organizations, including University Choir. After graduation, he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II.

Charles died in 1987 in Dayton, Ohio. Edward died in 2001 in Howell, Mich.

The $304 million fund drive and internal reallocations will expand the university's student aid contribution to $77 million annually. Much of the money raised will be placed in endowments, and the endowments' earnings will be used to fund the efforts. About two-thirds of the money raised will go to scholarships for students at all Purdue campuses. The rest will support K-12 programs and help students succeed after they enroll at Purdue.

This fall, Purdue awarded $7 million to 820 Trustee Scholarship students and $3.7 million to 638 Presidential Scholarship winners.

The Trustees Scholarship offers an annual award of $8,000 for Indiana residents and $10,000 for out-of-state students. The Presidential Scholarship offers an annual award of $5,000 for Indiana residents and $7,000 for out-of-state students. In-state tuition is $7,750 for students enrolling this fall; non-resident students pay $23,224.

Both scholarships are renewable for up to four years of full-time enrollment at the West Lafayette campus for students who maintain a 3.0 GPA while at Purdue. To be considered for the Presidential or Trustee scholarships, students must have attained a high school GPA of 3.8 on a 4.0 scale. The Trustees Scholarship also requires either a 2000 or higher score on the SAT or a score of 30 or higher on the ACT composite and writing tests. Students scoring 1850-1990 on the SAT or 27-29 on the ACT would be eligible for the Presidential Scholarship.

For students currently enrolling for next fall, two other new scholarships will be available.

Purdue Promise: The Purdue Promise ensures a Purdue education to Indiana students whose families earn $40,000 or less and who meet the requirements of the Twenty-First Century Scholars Program. Purdue will provide a combination of grant aid and work-study funding that will meet financial need for four years. These students also will benefit from academic and social support programs designed specifically for Purdue Promise scholars. The first recipients will start class in fall 2009. About 200 students a year will be enrolled, and by 2013 it is expected that 880 students on campus will be part of this program.

Purdue Marquis Scholarship Program: This program helps Indiana students whose families earn $40,000-$70,000 and who qualify for minimal or no state and federal aid. The average income for Purdue student families is $70,000, and assistance will be provided on a sliding scale. The first award from the funds raised by the campaign will start in fall 2009.

For the Trustee and Presidential scholarships, complete admission applications must be on file in the Office of Admissions by Nov. 15. For the Marquis, students should file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid by March 1. Interested students can contact the Division of Financial Aid at (765) 494-5050 or go to https://www.purdue.edu/dfa  for more information on financial aid and admissions requirements.

Writer: Christy Jones, (765) 494-1089, christyjones@purdue.edu

Sources: France A. Córdova, (765) 494-9708

Murray Blackwelder, senior vice president for advancement, (765) 496-2144, mblackwelder@purdue.edu

Bill Griffel, director of Purdue Musical Organizations and Purdue Varsity Glee Club, (765) 494-3941, wgriffel@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

Note to Journalists: Sopcak is pronounced "So-chack."

FILE PHOTO CAPTION:
Purdue Varsity Glee Club performers sing during one of the group's concerts. A gift of more than $1.5 million was given to an endowed scholarship fund that benefits undergraduate students in the ensemble who have a financial need. The gift toward the Access and Success drive was announced Saturday (Oct. 4) at a President's Council event. (Purdue News Service file photo)

A publication-quality file photo is available at https://www.purdue.edu/uns/images/+2008/glee-club.jpg

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