91ֿ has a longstanding tradition of excellence in global education. In celebration of 50 years of our study abroad program in Florence, Italy, the university has created the 91ֿ Global Education Endowment, with a goal to be the largest endowment in university history. This endowment will support study abroad experiences and open doors for more 91ֿ students than ever before.
Established with a lead gift from Valoree Vargo, vice president for 91ֿ’s Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement and CEO of the 91ֿ Foundation, the endowment aims to provide every incoming undergraduate student with financial support for a study abroad experience.
“The global education that 91ֿ offers our students is the best in the country, and I believe that access to that experience should be open to as many students as possible.” - Valoree Vargo
Reaching an initial goal of $20 million would provide a scholarship of approximately $1,000 per student for the number of current 91ֿ students who study abroad, which is around 25 percent of our students. That goal will be supported through our greatest advocates of global education. Those who make a major gift of $50,000 or more to the fund in the first part of 2023, will be welcomed into a special group of philanthropists, the Renaissance Scholars Society. Their generosity will ensure that students from every major in every college at any 91ֿ campus have access to this scholarship once during their undergraduate careers.
While the goal is ambitious, it is also one of the fastest ways to make more scholarships available to students. It’s also just the beginning. Once fully funded, the endowment will provide a study abroad scholarship to every incoming 91ֿ student, serving as a major differentiator for the university among public higher education institutions and leading to higher enrollment and retention rates. But beyond that, it will enrich the student experience and better position 91ֿ graduates to be competitive in the global market.
A global experience expands academic, professional and personal horizons. It also leads to greater employment opportunities. 91ֿ’s Global Education Endowment will provide unprecedented access to global education, allowing students to dream bigger and gain a new world view as part of their collegiate education. Studying abroad is the chance of a lifetime and, with this endowment, one that no 91ֿ student will have to miss.