Posted by Women of SU on Thursday, December 3, 2020 at 9:47 AM PST

The Women of SU alumnae group is delighted to share that we recently surpassed our initial goal of $50,000 funding for the Women of SU Endowed Scholarship. This endowment will be awarded to its first student in fall 2021 and will exist in perpetuity for the benefit of undergraduate students. 

The idea of creating a dedicated scholarship for students in STEM first came to Women of SU board  members over four years ago in discussions about how to support current and future students who demonstrate financial need.  Underrepresented populations are systematically tracked away from STEM fields, limiting their training and career options. Yet, many of the fastest growing industries require some skills rooted in a STEM education.   

To help alleviate the cost of higher education and increase diversity and access for all deserving students, the Women of SU joined the university’s Campaign for the Uncommon Good to raise funding for the new endowment.  

The Women of SU Endowed Scholarship will provide funding to junior and senior undergraduate students who are enrolled full-time in a STEM-related major or program. Special consideration will be given to underrepresented students majoring in STEM fields. The goal is to ease the financial burden students take on while attending Seattle U and allow them to focus on their studies. As more students have access to Seattle U’s rigorous and mission-driven education, STEM industries will benefit from more diverse, Jesuit-educated innovators and changemakers. 

Currently, Seattle U is the only university in the country whose engineering and computer science departments are chaired by women, with over 40 percent of faculty and students in the College of Science and Engineering identifying as women. These numbers are encouraging and show an increase of gender diversity, but we hope this scholarship will provide opportunity for more women and underrepresented students.    

There were 85 gifts of all sizes that helped our group reach its initial funding goal. The Women of SU is proud of and grateful for the grassroots effort from the Seattle U community.  Participating in the Seattle U Gives campaign with donor matching in 2019 and 2020 helped boost donor and dollar numbers. Additionally, fundraising events at the Sunset Club and at Mercer Estates tasting room helped bring the endowment to fruition.  

Meeting our endowment goal is just the beginning. The Women of SU plan to continue to build the fund and are excited to be participating in the 2021 Seattle U Gives campaign with the goal of awarding more scholarships in the future.  

We are dedicated to connecting women in the spirit of Jesuit tradition by promoting leadership and empowerment, encouraging service and philanthropy and providing opportunities for personal and professional growth. The establishment of the Women of SU Endowed Scholarship reflects this mission. We want to thank  our donors for making this endowed scholarship possible. Help us support more students by donating here (select Designation - Other and enter WofSU Scholarship in comments) and during the upcoming 2021 Seattle U Gives campaign February 25.