CIC Awards $1.6 Million for Student Scholarships

8/6/2018 — Washington, DC

The Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) has distributed grants of more than $1.6 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 27 state associations, which will distribute the funding to 545 private colleges and universities. Each institution will then award one $3,000 CIC/UPS Scholarship to a deserving student.

The 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 $57 million in scholarship support for 20,715 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 27 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 27 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
Tom Foley, Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania, (717) 232-8649
Gary Cox, Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities, (502) 695-5007
Dennis Joslin, 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
Louis Manzione, 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
Terri Standish-Kuon, 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
Stanton McNeely, 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
Hope Williams, North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, (919) 832-5817
Jeff Beauchamp, 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
Jim Bauer, Oregon Alliance of Independent Colleges and Universities, (503) 796-2852
Mike LeFever, South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, (803) 799-7122
Ken Ruscio, 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. In support of this strategic approach, the UPS Foundation has identified the following focus areas for giving: volunteerism, diversity, community safety, and the environment. In 2017, UPS and its employees, active and retired, invested more than $118 million in charitable giving around the world. The UPS Foundation can be found on the web at UPS.com/foundation.