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Bowling Green State University expects to receive the largest contribution in its history, and the largest single gift toward student scholarships in the state of Ohio, from the Thompson Foundation, according to a Thursday news release from the university.
Bob and Ellen Thompson, alumni of the university, created the Thompson Working Families Scholarship program in 2014 and plan to increase their contributions to scholarships to a total of $121 million, with the possibility of an added $30 million to sustain the program past 2035, according to the release.
The scholarships, intended for students from working class families, have gone to 1,910 students and are expected to reach 6,200 students by 2035, with the new funding. Scholarship recipients receive $11,000 each year toward tuition and wraparound supports, including one-on-one academic advising, if they meet academic requirements and complete community service hours.
“This is a generationally defining gift for thousands of students who might not otherwise be able to earn a college degree,” Rodney K. Rogers, president of Bowling Green State University, said in the news release. “As a public university for the public good, access to higher education is at the very core of our mission, and we are incredibly grateful for the Thompsons’ unprecedented generosity in supporting student scholarships at BGSU. The impact of this gift is truly immeasurable.”
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