Mayville State receives $1 million donation

News release from Mayville State:

Mayville State University has received a gift of one million dollars. Designated for the purpose of providing student scholarships, the gift is the largest single monetary charitable contribution ever received by Mayville State University. The donor of the contribution has chosen to remain anonymous. The announcement of the gift was made at an event held in the recently completed Education Psychology facility at Mayville State University on Wednesday, November 9, 2011.

The million-dollar donation will be used to establish the Nelson Family Endowed Scholarship Fund. Each year, a percentage of the endowed fund will be used to provide scholarships that will help non-traditional students achieve their goals. A projected $45,000 will be available to award in scholarships for the 2012-2013 academic year.. The scholarship is geared especially toward those individuals who may be changing their paths in life or those pursuing changes in careers. A special emphasis of the scholarship is to promote the concept of volunteerism, leadership development, and out-of-classroom experiences for the scholarship recipients.

Awardees will be non-traditional aged students, 25 years of age and older. The recipients must be full time, degree seeking students who are pursuing courses in residence at the Mayville State campus. Eligible students must demonstrate a need for funds as evidenced by information submitted through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The scholarship may be awarded to those in pursuit of associate's or bachelor's degrees. Students who participate in varsity sports are not eligible to receive the scholarship. Preference will be given to females, but both males and females will be considered. The scholarship is renewable to students who maintain a 2.0 grade point average or greater. With each term, there is an expectation of improvement.

"We are elated about this very generous and thoughtful gift," said MSU President Dr. Gary Hagen. "We consider it a privilege to assist non-traditional students as they work to attain their educational goals. Funding is often a stumbling block for non-traditional age students who wish to further their education. This gift will most definitely change lives."

The establishment of the Nelson Family Endowment Scholarship Fund is just the latest in a number of positive developments at Mayville State University.. The university has consistently experienced record enrollments over the past few years. A new coal-fueled heating plant is operational and saving the university hundreds of thousands of dollars in heating costs each year. Agassiz Hall, the largest residence hall on campus has been renovated and is now providing suite- and apartment-style living accommodations for students. A new addition to the library and science buildings is providing a new home for the Division of Education Psychology, and the library and science buildings are undergoing extensive renovation. Physical plant improvements can be seen campus-wide.

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