Scholarships

Providing scholarships to local IU students is a great way for alumni chapters to give back to their respective communities and ensure the continued academic excellence of Indiana University. Currently 26 alumni chapters around the country provide scholarships for IU students.

View the list of chapters awarding scholarships. For additional information about chapter scholarships, click on the links below.

Create a Chapter Scholarship

There are a few easy steps to follow in creating a chapter scholarship. From identifying a funding source to establishing criteria for applicants, we’ve outlined all of the steps involved so that your chapter can more easily develop an effective scholarship program.

Step One – Establish a Funding Source and Amount

Creating a solid financial base for the chapter scholarship program ensures students from a particular chapter area benefit from the program for years to come. Two popular ways to raise money for scholarships are through an annual alumni chapter corporate sponsorship program or through an annual chapter fundraising event.

Many chapters implement annual corporate sponsorship programs to help fund chapter scholarship programs or other activities affiliated with the chapter. These corporate sponsorship programs provide participating businesses important exposure to IU alumni audiences. Also, the programs provide important financial assistance to the chapter which allows the group to provide scholarships for area students, and allows the chapter to sponsor a variety of events.

Annual corporate sponsorship programs
IUAA Sponsorship Policy
Sample Corporate Sponsors
Sample Corporate/Annual Sponsorship Letter
Sample Sponsorship Letter
Sample Sponsor Contract

A more traditional method of raising funds for scholarships is through an annual chapter fundraising event or activity. Chapter fundraisers are a great way to bring members together to meet one another and to raise money to benefit the chapter or the chapter’s scholarship fund. Examples of chapter fundraisers include golf outings, raffles, special drawings, etc.

Note: If a chapter is going to solicit individual gifts for their scholarship account, the IUF must approve the solicitation piece in advance of its use.
 


Specific scholarship amounts awarded by individual chapters vary from group to group. However, amounts typically range from $500 to $1,500 per scholarship. Establishing a specific amount for a scholarship depends on the financial status of the chapter and how many scholarships the chapter wishes to award each year.

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Step Two – Identify Specific Criteria

Each chapter has the ability to develop their own set of criteria for awarding scholarships. The following list includes possible criteria to use when developing a scholarship program.

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Step Three – Identify Application Process

Chapters can accept scholarship applications using three different methods – open application process, IUAA-generated list of eligible recipients, or a combination of the two approaches.

Open Application – Chapters with an open application process allow all qualified students from a chapter area to apply for the scholarship. Applications are made available to all area IU students either by mail, via the scholarship section of the IUAA Web site or the chapter’s Web site, or from the local high school guidance counselor. Students complete the form and mail or submit their application online to the chapter. Usually, the chapter has a scholarship committee that reviews all applications and selects nominees based on predetermined criteria. The nominations are sent to the alumni chapters’ financial secretary. The final selection will be made by the IUF scholarship committee. For each scholarship, there should be at least three nominees. The IUF will notify the chapter through IUAA of the selected recipients. (Since chapters are considered the donors for the scholarships, IRS rules don’t allow donors to make final selection of recipients.)

IUAA-Generated List of Eligible Students – The second option allows IUAA to generate a list of students from the chapter area who meet the established chapter scholarship criteria. The students do not complete an application. The list will be sent to the IUF Scholarship committee for the selection of the scholarship(s). Chapters utilizing this system to award scholarships typically have large numbers of students in their chapter area, and thus, reviewing large numbers of scholarship applications may be overwhelming. This system makes it very easy for the chapter to identify students who meet a specific set of criteria.


Again, the IU Alumni Association can help chapters in generating a list of students that meet specific criteria for the chapter scholarship. IUAA has access to the following student information that can be used in determining scholarship recipients or notifying area students about the scholarship:

IU Bloomington (freshmen through seniors) – home address, phone number, GPA, and financial aid paperwork on file.

IU Bloomington (freshmen or incoming new students) – home address, phone number, GPA, financial aid paperwork on file, and e-mail address

IUPUI (all students) – home address and phone number. Please note that IUAA currently does not have access to GPA or financial aid information for students attending IUPUI. For GPA or financial need information, please contact your chapter staff liaison. He or she will work with IUPUI to obtain this information for your chapter.

IU Regional Campus Students (all students) – home address and phone number. Please note that IUAA currently does not have access to GPA or financial aid information for students attending an IU regional campus. For GPA or financial need information, please contact your chapter staff liaison. He or she will work with the regional campus or campuses to obtain this information for your chapter.

Open Application and Generated List – Some chapters utilize both an open application approach and a generated list to identify potential scholarship nominees. By utilizing both methods, the chapter ensures that they have a large applicant pool each time they award a scholarship.

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Recognize and Notify Recipients

Recognizing student scholarship recipients is an important element in awarding a chapter scholarship. Hosting a chapter event where a recipient can be recognized for his/her achievement or taking part in a high school honors ceremony provides an important opportunity for the chapter to build rapport with the student (future IU graduate), and generate local publicity for the chapter. It’s important that the chapter maintain a relationship with the student scholarship recipient over the life of the scholarship. Maintaining regular contact with the student recipient will remind the student that the award is special, that the local alumni chapter cares about the student’s overall success, and that the IU Alumni Association can play an important role in assisting the student during and after graduation. Also, student scholarship recipients often return to a particular chapter area to become outstanding alumni chapter volunteers! Here is an example of how a chapter can send notification to a recipient.

Submit Scholarship Nominees to the IUAA by March 1!

The IUAA encourages all alumni chapters to complete their scholarship application process by Feb. 15 annually. After reviewing the applications and selecting nominees, names of nominees need to be sent to IUAA by March 1. To help our staff in processing the nominees, please use the Scholarship Processing Form when submitting nominations to the IUAA. It’s important that the last four digits of Social Security numbers accompany each student scholarship nominee’s name so that the scholarship can be credited to the correct student. Be sure to obtain this information from the student before you submit the name. Remember, submitting nominees to IUAA by March 1 ensures the student’s scholarship will be reflected on the student’s bursar account by the time tuition bills are sent to the student.

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Disbursement of Scholarships to Students

Once a chapter is notified of the scholarship recipient, the chapter should send a check to the Alumni Association for the full amount of the scholarship. The check should be made payable to either the IU Foundation or the name of the chapter scholarship account. The check should be sent to Mark Skirvin at the DeVault Alumni Center, 1000 E. 17th St. All chapter scholarship funds are deposited with the Indiana University Foundation. Sending scholarship checks to IUAA ensures the funds are put toward a student’s tuition and other university fees. Also, if the student transfers from IU to another school, any remaining chapter scholarship funds in the student’s university account will be returned to the chapter scholarship account.

Alumni Chapter Scholarship Financial Accounts

Alumni Chapters may either establish their own IU Foundation (IUF) scholarship account or use the general IUAA Alumni Chapter Scholarship account. The general Alumni Chapter Scholarship account can be used to pass through scholarship checks to Indiana University for dispersal to students. (Note: Alumni chapters should only establish or maintain one bank account for alumni chapter activities. Any scholarship funds should be deposited with IUF, rather than being held in a separate local account.) Chapters wishing to establish their own scholarship account at IUF can do so with a standard scholarship account where all funds, both principal and income, may be used for scholarships. The minimum balance to open an account is $1,000. Chapters should contact IUAA to establish their own scholarship account. Deposits can be made by a chapter check or by forwarding individual checks made payable to IUF or the name of the scholarship account. If individual checks are sent, then a listing with the name of each donor and check amount must accompany the deposit. Those individuals will get a receipt from IUF for their donations. IUAA will maintain an accounting of the funds held in the general Alumni Chapter Scholarship account for each chapter. Chapters may check their scholarship account balance at any time online at The Scholarship Balance Form. Chapters which maintain individual accounts will receive quarterly reports from the IUAA.

Past Recipients of Chapter Scholarships

Over the years, 26 alumni chapters have presented more than 638 IU students with individual scholarships totaling approximately $416,000. For a listing of past scholarship recipients and other historical data about various alumni chapter scholarship programs, click on the link below.

Past Scholarship Recipients

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Other IUAA Scholarship and Gift Programs

Alumni chapters, chapter volunteers, and IUAA members have a number of options available to them to support IUAA-affiliated scholarship programs. Also, family members of chapter volunteers and IUAA members have the opportunity to apply for various IUAA-sponsored scholarships. For details regarding IUAA-affiliated scholarship programs, click on the links below.

Claude Rich Scholarship Fund

For more than 15 years, the Claude Rich Open Golf tournament has raised money for Indiana University student scholarships. The scholarship, named in honor of the late Claude Rich, alumni secretary from 1947 to 1968, provides five $1,000 scholarships each year. The scholarships are awarded to an IU football manager, members of the Student Alumni Association, Student Athletic Board, Union Board, and the Indiana University Student Foundation. To date, a total of $70,000 has been awarded in scholarships. The remaining amount has been placed in the Claude Rich Endowment Fund. Each year approximately 25-30 alumni chapters from across the country contribute to the scholarship fund as Claude Rich Open Patrons. Patron contributions are an excellent way for alumni chapters to annually contribute to IU scholarships without creating their own chapter scholarship program. For information about how your chapter can become a patron, contact your chapter staff liaison. For more information or to apply for a Claude Rich Scholarship, click here.

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Jerry Foster Memorial Scholarship

Jerry Foster, BS'74, was a devoted alumnus of Indiana University. He died in December 1992 after serving as an alumni chapter director for the IU Alumni Association for more than six years. During that time, Jerry worked with hundreds of alumni volunteers who regarded him as a friend. He was also admired and respected by his IU colleagues. A memorial scholarship in his name was established by contributions from many friends, family members, IU alumni chapters from around the world, and the IU Foundation. A $1,500 scholarship is granted each year to a student who is the son or daughter of an alumni chapter leader (currently serving as a chapter officer or board member). The student must be enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student on any IU campus. The scholarship will be awarded based on academic achievement and financial need. Preference is given to those who have not previously been awarded the scholarship. If you have any questions, please contact your chapter staff liaison. The application is available online at: Jerry Foster Memorial Scholarship.

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IU Alumni Association Scholars

The IU Alumni Association annually awards 15-20 $1,000 scholarships to full-time undergraduate students attending any IU campus who are the children of IU Alumni Association members. Known as IU Alumni Association Scholars, this program was developed in 1994. One scholarship will be designated for a qualifying student from each of IU’s eight campuses. The remainder will be awarded to students on an at-large basis. If there are no applicants from a particular campus or the applicants do not meet the criteria, that campus’s scholarship will be added to the at-large scholarship pool. The scholarships will be awarded on the basis of financial need and academic achievement as determined by the Office of Student Financial Assistance. Financial need will be determined from the information provided by the student and his/her parent(s) on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms. The FAFSA information must be released by the family to Indiana University. FAFSA forms are available at high schools and financial aid offices. This scholarship program is funded by the revenue received from the IU Collegiate License Plate Program. More than 20,000 plates are sold annually, making the IU plate the most popular collegiate plate in Indiana. Apply online.

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IU Alumni Association Haugh Plaza Memorial Brick

Located at 1000 E. 17th St. in Bloomington, Ind., the Virgil T. DeVault Alumni Center opened its doors on March 17, 1997. Although major fundraising for the building is complete, we continue to offer alumni and alumni chapters the opportunity to have a personalized brick on the plaza with a contribution of $1,000 or more to the Virgil T. DeVault Alumni Center. Monies raised through this project go toward an endowment for maintenance of the building. Make a lasting impression for generations to come by ordering a brick for yourself or your alumni chapter. Don’t forget, all contributions qualify for tax deduction under federal and state guidelines. Take this rare opportunity to have your name or the name of your chapter become a visible part of Indiana University history. Print a Brick Application Form.

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Brick at Nick’s English Hut

The I-Men’s Association sponsors personalized bricks which are placed on the sidewalk in front of Nick’s English Hut in Bloomington. Some alumni chapters donate a brick as a way of demonstrating loyalty to IU and IU Athletics in particular. A donation of $150 per brick goes toward the IU Student Athletes Scholarship Fund. For additional information about purchasing a Nick’s brick, click here or contact your chapter staff liaison.

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Tree Donor Form

Donating a tree to Indiana University is a great way to make a donation with a personal touch while helping to preserve the beauty of the IU Bloomington campus. Some alumni chapters have donated trees in the name of the chapter itself or a long-time chapter volunteer. Print a Tree Donor Form

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1854 Society

In recognition of the Alumni Association’s 150 years of service to Indiana University, the “1854 Society” was created in 2004 to recognize individuals and groups whose financial support to the Jerry F. Tardy Operating Endowment ensures that the high quality of existing IUAA programs remains in the future. Recognition for alumni chapters donating to the 1854 Society is noted on a plaque displayed in the Alumni Association headquarters, the Virgil T. DeVault Alumni Center, in Bloomington. The plaque recognizes donors who contribute at the Society's minimum gift level of $1,854.

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