Penn State to match up to $10M in diversity scholarships, creates George Floyd memorial scholarship
Penn State will match up to $10 million in donations for diversity and equity scholarships, while also committing new resources to two memorial scholarships in honor of George Floyd and Osaze Osagie, university President Eric Barron announced Monday afternoon.
The announcement comes less than a month after the June 4 memorial service of Floyd, who was killed by Minneapolis police after an officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. During that service, North Central University’s president challenged other institutions around the country to create scholarships in Floyd’s name. According to Penn State, it is the largest university to date to respond to that challenge — with a $50,000 commitment.
Similarly, Penn State has committed another $50,000 to the Osaze Olufemi Osagie Memorial Scholarship for Educational Equity, which was created last year. Osagie died in March 2019 after State College police shot him once in the shoulder and twice in the back while serving a mental health warrant.
“I am proud that our university is rising to the challenge and the opportunity presented by this historical moment, when we are all reflecting on our nation’s past and path forward,” Barron said in a news release.
According to the university, the matching program — formally dubbed the Educational Equity Matching Program — will match funds in a few different ways. For scholarships awarded by the Office of Educational Equity, or other similar central offices, donors will see a 2-to-1 university match on gifts of at least $25,000, meaning a $25,000 gift will essentially translate into a $75,000 commitment. Donors can also target their own specific colleges or Penn State units for a 1-to-1 match.
Gifts below $25,000 will not receive a match, or permanently endow scholarships, but can still be put toward the memorial scholarships or other scholarships.
“The creation of the Educational Equity Matching Program is only one step on our journey to greater equity across our institution and our country,” Barron said, “but it represents a promise to our students that we will help them to build a better future.”
More details will be made available in mid-July, and more information can be found at equity.psu.edu. To donate, go to raise.psu.edu/DEI.
