Lindenwood Magazine - Spring 2024

26 27 SPRING 2024 EDITION THE LINDENWOOD THE LINDENWOOD SPRING 2024 EDITION Scholarships for Lindenwood University students are a vital tool in making a Lindenwood education more accessible and more affordable. These gifts are more than just financial support; they often serve as a lifeline for students who would otherwise be unable to continue their education. Or they can serve as a springboard to financial freedom, enabling them to graduate with less debt. As 98% of Lindenwood students receive some kind of financial aid, scholarships play a crucial role in ensuring every student has the opportunity to thrive. Scholarship support is one of the best ways you can directly impact the Lindenwood experience our students enjoy. Your gift today not only directly impacts the lives of current students but serves as an investment in tomorrow’s leaders, and we are committed to providing many avenues to make that impact for our alumni and friends. LIONS SCHOLARSHIP FUND Your gift to the Lions Scholarship Fund provides our Student Financial Services office the most flexibility in awarding financial aid to students in need. These gifts are awarded as both need- and merit-based scholarships, supporting Lindenwood’s mission and celebrating distinguished student achievement. ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIPS Annual scholarships are funded by donors each year. These gifts are awarded to students based on criteria determined by donors, who also may choose to name the scholarship. Unlike an endowed scholarship, an annual scholarship is not a permanent fund and can be awarded in the academic year it is received. ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIPS Endowed scholarships create a legacy at Lindenwood, which connects our community through generations. These scholarships are awarded in perpetuity with the principal gift amount remaining intact, and the earned income distributed in accordance with the guidelines agreed upon by the donor and the University. Endowed scholarship donors may name their scholarship and indicate a preference for how the scholarship will be awarded. Thanks to the generosity of alumni and friends of Lindenwood, nearly $500,000 in endowed scholarships were awarded to Lindenwood students in 2024. Endowed and annual scholarship donors are invited to the annual Scholarship Brunch at Lindenwood each spring, where they can meet their recipient in person. If you’re interested in learning more about establishing an endowed or annual scholarship at Lindenwood, contact Assistant Vice President of Advancement Brian Brunner at (636) 949-4903 or by email at bbrunner@lindenwood.edu . THE GIVING COMMUNITY GROWTH ADVANCEMENT Future Lindenwood TEASER STORY LOOKING FORWARD LIVING OUR CORE VALUES: WE THRIVE TOGETHER We thrive together. As team members, we foster a community founded on collaboration, authenticity, support, and understanding. KEELA ROSS Director, Center for Diversity and Inclusion Keela is a perfect example of what it means to thrive together. Since she started as the director of the CDI, she’s turned it into a warm and welcoming space, and students are there all the time. I’m sure this is completely because of Keela. She’s really made the CDI a place where the campus community can collaborate, have authentic and sometimes tough conversations, all done in a place where people feel like they are heard and seen. Support and understanding are two key words to describe Keela—she is the perfect person to help our campus thrive. TIM MCNAMEE Supervisor, Audiovisual and Classroom Support Tim’s colleagues have recognized his quick response to the challenges experienced by others, and his commitment to support the success of others. For the HLC Accreditation visit, Tim’s positive attitude and willingness to assure the sessions ran smoothly was so appreciated and put the Academic Affairs department at ease. During a department staff meeting, a colleague reached out to Tim with tech issues. He arrived promptly and resolved the issues so the department could continue their meeting. The IT staff is great at responding quickly to issues, and Tim was a terrific representative of that this morning. LEAH ROSENMILLER Manager, Library Reference Services Leah supports the success of Lindenwood students and employees daily. In addition to her primary role, she contributes to the Student Academic Showcase, which highlights research efforts across campus. Leah was recognized for her willingness to support new employee onboarding through Lindenwood’s Culture Connection. With very short notice, Leah came and presented to a room full of new employees at Culture Connection today. She not only provided excellent information and resources to our group, she provided me with technical support in the moment when I desperately needed it. She was my hero today, and I’m very grateful to her. LIONS SCHOLARSHIP FUND MAKE A GIFT! Thrive Lindenwood University Advancement Team at the 2024 Scholarship Brunch