UA Receives $50,000 from Bernard Osher Foundation

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Bernard Osher Foundation has awarded a $50,000 grant to The University of Alabama for the Osher Reentry Scholarship Program, which assists students who have experienced a five-year or more interruption in their education and want to resume their undergraduate studies to complete their degree.

Administered through UA’s College of Continuing Studies, the scholarship program is intended to benefit students who have considerable years of employability ahead of them, ideally aged 25 to 50. The grant enables UA to award 20 tuition-only scholarships of $2,500 each to qualified students who demonstrate financial need, academic promise and a commitment to completing their degree.

“The Bernard Osher Foundation is delighted to support scholarships for reentry students at The University of Alabama,” said Mary Bitterman, president of the foundation. “These students often have special needs including matriculation, familiarization with new information technology, and balancing the requirements of families and employment. The University of Alabama has established services to meet these needs. We hope our contribution will further the University’s success in reentering students and helping them to achieve their educational goals.”

Launched in the summer of 2005, the Osher Reentry Scholarship Program offers grants of up to $50,000, with possible renewal, to four-year institutions that serve reentry students. Grantees that demonstrate success may be considered for a $1 million endowment to provide permanent support for the Osher Reentry Scholarships.

“We are honored that the Bernard Osher Foundation has chosen to partner with The University of Alabama and the College of Continuing Studies in this important initiative,” said Dr. Carolyn Dahl, dean of UA’s College of Continuing Studies. “These scholarships will create life-changing opportunities for the recipients and strengthen our ability to provide learning without limits.”

Scholarship applications will be accepted through June 13 for the 2008-09 academic year. More information and applications are available at www.continuingstudies.ua.edu/scholarships.html or by calling 205/348-0089.

UA received its first grant last year from The Osher Foundation to establish the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute in the College of Continuing Studies. The University of Alabama in Huntsville received an Osher grant for Lifelong Learning in 2005 and was also awarded the $1 million endowment in 2006.

The Bernard Osher Foundation, headquartered in San Francisco, was founded in 1977 by Bernard Osher, a respected businessman and community leader. The Foundation seeks to improve quality of life through support for higher education and the arts.

The “Our Students. Our Future.” campaign’s $500 million goal includes $250 million for student scholarships. The remaining funds are allocated to faculty support, facilities and priority needs. The campaign has raised more than $483 million since 2002.