LYNDON CENTER, VT. Lyndon State College is pleased to announce a gift of $100,000 from a Normal School graduate who wishes to remain anonymous. This gift will be used to create a new scholarship fund, the Northeast Kingdom Education Endowment, and to encourage increased support of the LSC Annual Fund for Excellence.
Half of the gift, $50,000, will be used to create the Northeast Kingdom Education Endowment fund for NEK students studying to become teachers. This gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar from the Valade Family Trust Endowment Development Fund to give this endowment an opening value of $100,000. The first scholarships from this endowment will be awarded in fall 2009.
The remaining $50,000 of this gift will be used to challenge alumni and friends to give a dollar a day to the LSC Annual Fund for Excellence by matching any gift of $365 or more dollar-for-dollar. A strong Annual Fund ensures that the College has the resources necessary to promote academic excellence at Lyndon by providing scholarship support to the most deserving students, supporting the professional development of faculty and staff, acquiring state-of-the-art academic equipment and improving the Colleges buildings and grounds. This challenge grant will help Lyndon State College meet its ambitious $120,000 Annual Fund goal in 2008 and continue to grow the Annual Fund in future years.
Dean of Institutional Advancement Bob Whittaker says that the College is very excited about this generous gift and greatly appreciates the donors generosity. Part of this generosity was driven by the fact that the donor received a free education in exchange for an agreement to stay and teach in Vermont after graduation. Following a long and successful career in education and a frugal life-style, the alumna found that the time was right to give back to the institution that made it all possible while at the same time helping others fulfill the same dream she had by creating the NEK Education Endowment. With waning state support, she also recognizes the need for the College to have a strong Annual Fund and hopes others will follow her lead of supporting an institution whose long-term vitality is inextricably linked to that of the region.