July 11, 2006 — A $50,000 gift from the Bernard Osher Foundation will fund 25 new scholarships at the University of Utah. The scholarships are earmarked for students from throughout the state of Utah who have experienced a significant gap in their education and who have shown academic potential and financial need. Valued at $2,000 per student annually, the scholarships will cover over half of full-time tuition costs for the year.

The first Osher Foundation Scholarships will be awarded this summer for students entering the U next fall.

“We are grateful to the Bernard Osher Foundation for providing new opportunities for students to attend college,” said Chuck Wight, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs and Undergraduate Studies, whose Continuing Education Division was responsible for writing the scholarship grant.

Wight added that Theresa Martinez, Associate Professor of Sociology and Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies for Outreach, will administer the new scholarship program, working in close partnership with Debra Daniels, Director of the University’s Women’s Resource Center, and Kimberly Hall, the Women’s Resource Center Program Coordinator.

“This scholarship is a wonderful opportunity for reentry students who often struggle to return to school,” Martinez said.

The Osher Reentry Scholarship Program was established in 2005 with the University of Utah being selected as an institutional participant. The program provides scholarship support for students ages 25-50 who are returning to four-year institutions after a significant break in their studies.

The purpose of the program is to provide assistance to individuals with financial need between the ages of 25 and 50 whose collegiate studies were interrupted for several years by circumstances beyond their control and who now wish to resume their studies and complete a four-year baccalaureate degree.

To be eligible for the Scholarships, students must have a gap of at least five years since they last attended high school or college, be between the ages of 25-50, be admitted undergraduate students at the University of Utah, and be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours.

Once awarded, Osher Reentry Scholars will be required to maintain full-time status, a 3.0 GPA, contact through surveys and interviews, and complete an evaluation process. If the student remains eligible and complies with the above requirements, the student may apply for additional years of scholarship funds.

The Bernard Osher Foundation was founded in 1977 by Bernard Osher, a successful businessman and community leader. The Foundation seeks to improve quality of life for residents all over the United States through post-secondary student scholarships and arts, cultural, and educational grants. The Osher Reentry Scholarship builds on the relationship the University of Utah began with the Bernard Osher Foundation in 2004, when Continuing Education established the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute with a generous Osher Foundation grant.

For more information on the Osher Reentry Scholarships, call the Women’s Resource Center at 801-581-8030.