Kentucky’s Centre College has received its largest endowment ever and one of the largest gifts to a liberal arts college in the nation.
The $250 million donation from the A. Eugene Brockman Charitable Trust--whose son attended Centre College--will allow the school to set up the Brockman Scholars Program in fall 2014.Students majoring in natural and computer sciences, math and economics will have the chance to compete for competitive full-ride scholarships, says Richard Trollinger, vice president of college relations. Around 60 percent of Centre’s student body major in one of these fields, he said.“We want well rounded young people who are committed to hard work because they want to make a difference for good in their lives of work and service," Trollinger says.The scholarships won't weigh heavily on grade point average or ACT test scores, though they will be included in the calculation that determines whether a student wins a full-ride to Centre, he says.Eventually, the school will have 160 full-time Brockman Scholars.“We’re just deeply honored that the trust has such confidence in the work that we do with the young men and woman who pursue their educational goals here," says Trollinger.The size of the gift will allow the school to continue the program indefinitely, he says.According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, the Brockman gift is among the top 20 endowments provided to a college or university.Click here to see the list.
