Project Scholarship reaches goal
By Michael Graca
Wheaton was on Scott Clark's shortlist of schools from the beginning of his college search. "The college impressed me," said the East Longmeadow, Mass., native, who sensed a deep commitment to students among the college's faculty and decided to apply early decision.
"When I received my financial aid award, I was pretty impressed by the magnitude of the award at first," recalls the Wheaton Trustee Scholar. "And I still appreciate it, but I soon realized there was a gap between my financial aid package and what I could afford. In the end, I needed to take out some loans, and my parents had to help out, too."
Clark '09 had plenty of company. The need to take out private, commercial loans has been a growing reality for college students, including those at Wheaton. In fact, most Wheaton students who receive financial aid now graduate with anywhere from a few hundred dollars to as much as $80,000 in student loan debt. The average is $23,000.
The trend troubled the college's trustees, who last year decided to boost the school's financial aid budget. Project Scholarship was the first step, with a goal of raising $6 million to be spent on financial aid through the 2010-2011 school year.
The response: a strong endorsement from alumnae/i, parents and friends, who gave more than $4 million. The effort ended at the close of the college's fiscal year with $6.3 million.
"Throughout Wheaton's history, generous individuals have stepped forward to help students through their support of the college," President Ronald Crutcher said. "The alumnae/i, parents and friends who helped make Project Scholarship successful will directly improve the lives of hundreds of students over the next four years."
The impulse to help students graduate from Wheaton without amassing debt that will constrain their life choices is part of what inspired many alumnae/i and parents to contribute to Project Scholarship's success. In addition, the ability to offer stronger financial aid packages to talented high school students will improve Wheaton's ability to enroll a diverse group of students who can teach and learn from each other as well as benefit from the college's programs.
In all, 130 individuals, including each of the trustees, made commitments ranging from $500 to $2 million to ensure the success of the effort.
Mary Zygala Schleyer '74, who pledged to support the effort, agrees that leaving college with an undergraduate degree and the "unbelievable burden of loans" that has become common among graduates can have profound effects on whether they pursue advanced degrees, on their careers and on their personal choices.
"The nice thing about a scholarship is that you don't need to pay it back," she said, adding that the gift of financial aid, like the education it enables, lasts for a lifetime.
"I was a recipient of a scholarship and it was very moving to me that someone actually was willing to think about assisting me in realizing my dream to go to college," Schleyer said. "With that scholarship, along with a federal loan and Wheaton's wonderful work study program, my total bill was pretty much taken care of."
"Having the opportunity to be the recipient of a scholarship has a profound effect on your life, and if you are fortunate enough to be in the position to be able to do the same thing for someone else, you just do it," Schleyer said.
"Project Scholarship was a way for me to pass it forward, to give back."
Students began to see the impact of Project Scholarship right away. On average, students received an additional $3,000. 
Stefana Albu '10 said the difference in her financial aid package allowed her to be more strategic in the amount of time she spent working during the school year and in the types of jobs she took-tutoring other Wheaton students in statistics and teaching reading to local schoolchildren.
"I knew Wheaton was the place for me but I knew that my final decision would have to be based on the school that could assist me the most financially," said the Westford, Mass., resident, who plans to major in biology and may minor in education. "I was extremely excited that Wheaton was able to make this happen for me."
Interested in pursuing dental medicine, Albu spent her summer interning in a dentist's office. "Because I have a Wheaton scholarship and support from my parents, I have been able to focus on jobs that offer valuable learning experiences, rather than simply a paycheck."
Clark, who shares an interest in education with Albu, agreed that improved financial aid allowed him to consider summer-time activities that will contribute to his education and long-term growth.
He spent the month of June broadening his teaching experience as a volunteer at a summer program in Costa Rica and then returned home to work as a Mars Student-Faculty Research Fellow with Professor of English Katherine Conway, investigating a possible source for Shakespeare's The Tempest.
Thanks in part to Project Scholarship, Clark said he can concentrate on his work without the worries of mounting debt. "I won't have to take out a private loan this year, which is huge."
