CASPER, Wyo. — The Ellis Family Foundation has gifted $1 million to the University of Wyoming to support students seeking engineering degrees.
A State of Wyoming matching funds program doubles the amount dedicated for the new F.E. “Tut” and V. Diane Ellis President’s Endowed Scholarship, according to UW.
“The Wyoming Legislature established a $2.5 million state matching funds program in March 2019 to support the UW President’s Endowed Scholarship Program,” the university explains. “Donor gifts of a minimum of $50,000 were doubled to create named endowments, and donors were able to direct funding to support students in their areas of interest, such as degree program, geographic location or other demographic criteria.”
The new gift is not the first from the foundation.
“In addition to the President’s Endowed Scholarship, the Ellis Family Foundation previously established the F.E. “Tut” and Diane Ellis Family Foundation Endowed Scholarship in the College of Engineering and Applied Science, an award that has supported generations of future petroleum engineers,” UW says.
A spokesperson for the Ellis Family Foundation says that education was important to the foundation’s namesakes.
“’Education allowed Tut and Diane Ellis to see the world,’ says Valerie Jochen of the Ellis Family Foundation. ‘But, no matter where they roamed, Wyoming has always been home. Passing it forward is an honor.’”
UW says the scholarship funding will help with recruitment.
“’The Ellis Family Foundation endowment will have an immensely positive impact, far beyond what I think any of us can imagine at this moment,’ says Cameron Wright, interim dean and professor of electrical and computer engineering. ‘While UW is a top-rated school for affordability and value, there is still a profound need for financial assistance to pursue higher education.'”
“‘Our future students, who perhaps wouldn’t have otherwise had the chance to attend college, will be able to use this amazingly generous gift and pay the world back tenfold by going on to solve the engineering community’s most important challenges.'”
Other new scholarship opportunities have been created through the President’s Endowed Scholarship program, UW says. Those include:
- The Ann Pickard and Dan Smith President’s Endowed Scholarship for First-Generation Students is a scholarship reserved for high-achieving first-generation Wyoming residents
- The Kemmerer President’s Endowed Scholarship is for students in the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources’ Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Management Program
- The Stark Family President’s Endowed Scholarship, established by Doug and Deniz Stark, supports transfer students to the UW College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
“A total of 22 gifts have captured almost the entirety of the $2.5 million state matching fund, which is anticipated to soon be reached in full,” UW adds. “Other areas supported by the President’s Endowed Scholarships include community college transfer students; Native American students; women students in engineering; and students in business, education, engineering, environment and natural resources, ecosystem science and management, molecular biology, zoology, physiology, ecology, chemistry and physics.”
“There are still opportunities to establish a President’s Endowed Scholarship fund that can be met by the state matching fund program. Call the UW Foundation at (307) 766-6300 or visit www.uwyo.edu/foundation/presidents-endowed-scholarship to learn more.”
