Student scholarships and educational access at heart of $1 million grants from Bush Foundation for CSB and SJU

04/10/2007

Providing financial aid and ensuring access to a nationally-recognized liberal arts education is at the heart of recent grants received from the Bush Foundation.

The College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University each recently received $1 million matching capital grants from the Bush Foundation for endowed student scholarships and financial aid. When fully matched, these combined grants will be worth $4 million to both institutions.  

The College of Saint Benedict’s $1 million matching capital grant will be used for endowed scholarships and institutional initiatives that enhance student learning. Saint John’s University’s $1 million matching capital grant will be used for endowed scholarships.

Institutionally-awarded scholarships and grants are the single largest source of assistance for Saint Benedict and Saint John’s students, totaling more than $38 million in 2006-07. More than 90 percent of all CSB and SJU students receive a scholarship or grant each year to help pay for college.

“The College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University have for generations educated students from families of all incomes,” said Jon McGee, vice president for enrollment, planning, and public affairs. “These generous scholarship gifts, and gifts made by other donors, will go a long way toward ensuring that a CSB or SJU education will remain accessible to students for years to come.” 

In September 2005, the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University announced the largest capital campaigns in their histories – Our Place in the World at the College of Saint Benedict and One Generation to the Next at Saint John’s University. Together, they are seeking to raise $230 million to strengthen their educational mission by investing in students, faculty, staff and programs and facilities. The capital campaigns coincide with the 150th anniversaries of Saint Benedict’s Monastery, Saint John’s Abbey and Saint John’s University.

To ensure quality, affordability and diversity, as part of their capital campaigns, the two colleges seek to raise $75 million for scholarships and need-based financial aid. To date, the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University have raised more than $52 million for these purposes.

“The young women at the College of Saint Benedict are national leaders in study abroad participation and service to our global community. They are women of integrity, intellect and courage.” said MaryAnn Baenninger, president of the College of Saint Benedict.  “The Bush grant will enable us to grow our endowment and these funds will enable us to expand the unique educational experience we provide to our students even further.”

“Saint John’s University is deeply grateful to the Bush Foundation for this significant gift in support of need-based student financial aid and scholarships,” said Br. Dietrich Reinhart, OSB, president of Saint John’s University. “We anticipate this challenge grant will inspire new and current donors to help make a college education a reality to students for whom this is now only a dream.” 

“Higher education institutions educate students but they also prepare future leaders and, thus, make enormous contributions to their communities,” said Anita M. Pampusch, president of the Bush Foundation. “We are happy to assist these two institutions with their current capital campaigns which should position them to operate successfully well into the future. Bush capital funding is intended precisely for that purpose. We wish them well.”

The Bush Foundation is a private grantmaking organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life in our region by strengthening organization, individual and community leadership. Established in 1953 by 3M executive Archibald Bush and his wife, Edyth, the Foundation supports arts and culture, health and human services, education, ecological health and individual fellowships in arts, medicine and leadership in a region that includes Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.