CIC Awards $1.5 Million for Student Scholarships

7/26/2017 — Washington, DC
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​The Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) has distributed grants of  more than $1.5 million in “CIC/UPS Scholarships” to assist first-generation, low-income, minority, or new American students who attend private colleges and universities across the nation. The grants were provided by CIC to 29 state associations, which will distribute the funding to 551 private colleges and universities. Each institution will then award one $2,750 CIC/UPS Scholarship to a deserving student.

The CIC/UPS Scholarships are funded by the CIC/UPS Educational Endowment, which is held and administered by CIC. The Endowment was established in the 1970s through a gift from the UPS Foundation to support state-based programs that benefit underserved populations. Since its inception, the Endowment has generated more than $56 million in scholarship support for 20,246 students at independent colleges and universities.

“Independent colleges and universities in this country are remarkably effective at educating and graduating low-income and first-generation students in less time, with less student debt,” said Richard Ekman, president of CIC. “Helping these students afford a private college education is a truly critical need in our society, and it is rewarding to be a partner with the UPS Foundation and the 29 CIC State Councils as we help to support deserving students.”

“The UPS Foundation is honored to work with CIC to provide scholarships for students at independent colleges and universities,” said Eduardo Martinez, president of the UPS Foundation and chief diversity and inclusion officer at UPS. “Our goal is to fund powerful programs that make a lasting difference to the global community.”

The 29 state associations and their state executives are listed below.

  • Paul Hankins, Alabama Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, (334) 356-2220
  • Rex Horne, Arkansas' Independent Colleges and Universities, (501) 378-0843
  • Mick Weltman, Associated Colleges of Illinois, (312) 263-2391
  • Don Francis, Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania, (717) 232-8649
  • Gary Cox, Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities, (502) 695-5007
  • James Johnson, Council of Independent Nebraska Colleges Foundation, (402) 335-1160
  • Ed Moore, Florida Independent College Fund, (850) 681-3188
  • Tina Bjarekull, Independent College Fund of Maryland, (410) 269-0306
  • John Wilson, Independent College Fund of New Jersey, (908) 277-3424
  • Ray Martinez, Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas Foundation, (512) 472-9522
  • David Wantz, Independent Colleges of Indiana, (317) 236-6090
  • Violet Boyer, Independent Colleges of Washington, (206) 623-4494
  • Mark Cavanaugh, Independent Higher Education of Colorado Fund, (303) 571-5559
  • Jack Jones, Iowa College Foundation, (515) 282-0473
  • MaryAnn Coleman, Louisiana Independent College Foundation, (225) 346-6740
  • Robert Bartlett, Michigan Colleges Alliance, (248) 356-3114
  • Paul Cerkvenik, Minnesota Private College Fund, (651) 228-9061
  • Mike Backer, Missouri Colleges Fund, (573) 893-3818
  • Richard LaPan, New Mexico Independent College Fund, (505) 466-2586
  • Hope Williams, North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, (919) 832-5817
  • Polly Petersen, North Dakota Independent College Fund, (701) 255-7500
  • Bill Spiker, Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges, (614) 469-1950
  • Lisa Smaligo, Oklahoma Independent Colleges and Universities, (405) 371-1780
  • Kristen Grainger, Oregon Alliance of Independent Colleges and Universities, (503) 796-2852
  • Mike LeFever, South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, (803) 799-7122
  • Karen Bangasser, South Dakota Foundation of Independent Colleges, (605) 331-6684
  • Mary-Beth Johnson, Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges, (804) 288-6609
  • Rebecca Ceperley, West Virginia Independent Colleges and Universities, (304) 433-2604
  • Rolf Wegenke, Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, (608) 256-7761

​About the Council of Independent Colleges

The Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) is an association of nonprofit independent colleges and universities, as well as state-based councils and other higher education affiliates, that works to support college and university leadership, advance institutional excellence, and enhance public understanding of independent higher education’s contributions to society. CIC is the major national organization that focuses on services to leaders of independent colleges and universities and state-based councils. CIC offers conferences, seminars, publications, and other programs and services that help institutions improve educational quality, administrative and financial performance, student outcomes, and institutional visibility. It conducts the largest annual conferences of college and university presidents and of chief academic officers. Founded in 1956, CIC is headquartered at One Dupont Circle in Washington, DC.

About The UPS Foundation

Established in 1951 and based in Atlanta, Georgia, the UPS Foundation identifies areas where its backing clearly impacts social issues. The UPS Foundation has identified the following focus areas for giving: volunteerism, diversity, community safety, and the environment. In 2016, UPS and its employees, active and retired, invested more than $116.6 million in charitable giving around the world. The UPS Foundation can be found on the web at UPS.com/foundation.