During the campaign, private gifts have more than doubled funds available for UO scholarships; as endowments grow, these gifts will create thousands more scholarships for UO students.
From 2004-05 to 2007-08, the percentage of UO undergraduate students needing to borrow money for their educations declined from 74% to 69% and the average loan debt for undergraduates declined from $18,813 to $18,368 even though tuition increased by 8.8 percent for in-state students and 9.5 percent for out-of-state students over the same period.
Examples of new scholarships and fellowships:
A $10 million gift from the Robert W. and Bernice Ingalls Staton Foundation in 2001 is supporting 50-100 need-based scholarships a year; 146 Staton Scholars have graduated so far.
Gifts from the Ann and Bill Swindells Charitable Trust are funding 32 Presidential scholarships a year, with preference to students in former Willamette Industries towns. 37 Willamette Scholars have graduated so far.
The Giustina Foundation is funding 40 Presidential Scholarships a year. 31 have graduated so far.
Lorry Lokey contributed $10 million to help recruit graduate students in the sciences. In the past, we have had little money for this purpose—which is essential to retention and recruitment of faculty members and to research breakthroughs.
