Madison, Wisconsin – The Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (WAICU)has distributed $64,000 in CIC/UPS Scholarships to assist 20 students at Wisconsin’s private colleges. The scholarships were made possible by a grant from the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) in Washington, DC, through the CIC/UPS Educational Endowment.
“The scholarships funded by the CIC/UPS Educational Endowment allow students at Wisconsin’s private, nonprofit colleges and universities to continue to seize opportunities, said WAICU President and CEO Eric W. Fulcomer. “One recipient, a first-generation student, is pursuing an education in social work specializing in the care of children.
“Another, a non-traditional student returning to school, is seeking a degree in Diagnostic Cardiovascular Sonography, a career change that was inspired by her own child’s illness. These scholarships are changing lives and family trajectories,” added Fulcomer.
Nationally, CIC provided more than $1.4 million in student scholarships through state-based associations to make private colleges and universities more affordable and accessible to underserved students.
Wisconsin’s private colleges that received CIC/UPS Scholarships this year include Alverno College, Bellin College, Beloit College, Carroll University, Carthage College, Concordia University Wisconsin, Edgewood College, Herzing University, Lakeland University, Lawrence University, Marian University, Marquette University, Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Mount Mary University, Northland College, Ripon College, St. Norbert College, Viterbo University, and Wisconsin Lutheran College.
“The Council of Independent Colleges is proud to support nearly 450 low-income, first-generation, minority, and new American students in 25 states through the CIC/UPS Scholarships,” said Marjorie Hass, president of the Council of Independent Colleges. “Through our partnership with WAICU, these scholarships help individual students pursue their education at one of Wisconsin’s superb independent colleges and universities.”
The CIC/UPS Scholarships Program has made a private college education possible for more than 21,000 low-income, first generation, and minority students and has had a transformative impact on individuals, families, and communities across the country.
Working together for educational opportunity, WAICU is the official organization of the 22 independent, nonprofit institutions of higher learning in Wisconsin. Membership is limited to accredited, nonprofit institutions, headquartered in Wisconsin. WAICU members collectively enroll more than 53,000 students. WAICU members offer more than 500 academic programs and produce 24 percent of all the bachelor’s degrees and 34 percent of all the advanced degrees awarded in the state.