CUKC, Cleveland College Foundation Fund Inc. present awards to 45 students in the doctor of chiropractic program
At the annual CUKC Scholarship Banquet on Dec. 1, representatives of Cleveland University-Kansas City and the Cleveland College Foundation Fund Inc. awarded scholarship funds to 45 individual chiropractic students.
More than 130 students and family members, along with faculty, staff, and scholarship donors attended the event, which recognizes students who are receiving scholarships of various amounts in 2018. The awards were presented to the students by CUKC President Dr. Carl S. Cleveland III, Vice President of Campus and Alumni Relations Dr. Clark Beckley, and Dr. Timothy Meng, chair of the Cleveland College Foundation Fund Inc.
Each year, CUKC students are invited to apply for scholarships by submitting essays. A total of 105 essays were received this year, then scored by a scholarship committee representing CUKC faculty and staff.
“Without this yearly support of scholarship funds, many of our doctor of chiropractic students would find their dream of becoming a health care professional much harder to realize,” said Amy Piersol, vice president of advancement. “For some students, scholarships are essential.”
The Foundation Fund gifts represent the largest yearly total since at least 2004, and an 18 percent increase over the total awarded for the previous academic year. More than 52 percent of the Foundation scholarships were $1,000 or more.
In 2017, Cleveland University-Kansas City awarded $624,284 from CUKC and non-university sources to 176 students, equal to more than a third of the university’s total enrolled student body.
Guided by a five-member board of directors, the Cleveland College Foundation Fund Inc. is a separate philanthropic organization that supports the Cleveland University-Kansas City mission of education, scholarship, and service. The Foundation operates under the authority of the university’s 13-member board of trustees.
“The generous contributions of alumni, and friends, and including gifts from grateful patients receiving care from Cleveland graduates, have made it possible, again this year, to provide support for students at the university,” said Dr. Cleveland.
Piersol said there are many ways to support Cleveland University-Kansas City through the Cleveland College Foundation Fund Inc., including gifts for named on-campus spaces and to establish endowed scholarship funds to honor or memorialize a loved one. The Cleveland Legacy Society recognizes donors who have included the university in their estate plans. The Cleveland Fund provides unrestricted support the university can use to improve and expand programs. Gifts-in-kind of equipment and other non-cash items may also be donated. All gifts are tax-deductible.