“The donor has indicated that the gift should be used to provide financial support to deserving students,” said William Penn President Richard Sours. “This very generous gesture is also a reaffirmation that Penn is moving in the right direction, and this donor wants the university to succeed in its mission to provide a quality educational experience.”

William Penn University is able to provide scholarships in academics, athletics, fine arts, communications and other areas because of the generosity of donors. Marsha Riordan, associate vice president for development, said that 75 to 100 Penn students receive Named Scholarships every year. Named Scholarships are typically in honor or in memory of someone. According to Cyndi Peiffer, director of financial aid, there were 124 academic scholarships given during the 2007 – 2008 academic year.

“Academic scholarships are important because they reward students for their high academic standards as well as offer financial assistance,” Peiffer said. “These scholarships are just one lifeline for an institution to help attract quality students in making college more affordable.”