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| Welcome to Wesleyan Weekend |
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Alumnae Referral Scholarship
The greatest gifts cost nothing through the new alumnae referral scholarship program
Happy, successful, and loyal graduates are important products of Wesleyan College. As such, our alumnae are better equipped to strengthen Wesleyan College than any other group of supporters. Often we thank loyal supporters for financial and in-kind gifts large and small; but at the same time, we recognize the greatest gift of all is encouraging a future student to consider the Wesleyan experience.
Wesleyan developed an Alumnae Referral Scholarship during 2006 to encourage alumnae support and involvement of the College’s ongoing and essential recruitment effort. Through the program, Wesleyan graduates can nominate a prospective high school student for admission and a $500 scholarship.
“No one understands what it takes to become a Wesleyan Woman better than our own graduates. Our alumnae know exactly what we’re looking for and we place a high value on their endorsement,” said Vice President for Enrollment Services Patty Gibbs. “We’re willing to fund a $500 scholarship anytime an alumna endorses an eligible candidate for admission. ”
Eligible candidates include academically qualified full-time students seeking a first undergraduate degree who have been accepted for admission. The scholarship is a one-time gift applied toward the candidate’s first year tuition. While the new scholarship program may serve as a significant incentive for alumnae and prospective students, Wesleyan College alumnae have long served as informal College representatives.
"Knowing alumnae was a bonus because I was able to get a first hand account of Wesleyan," states Suzanne Spooner-Faulk '97. Originally from Quincy, FL, a small town that is home to several generations of Wesleyannes, Suzanne is a communication major who now lives and works in Nashville, TN. According to Suzanne, Wesleyan is an excellent investment. "I would encourage a young woman to consider Wesleyan because it was one of the best decisions I have ever made," she said.
The claim is well-established among alumnae, making it a valuable tool for the admission office. Vida Olivares ’02 confessed, "My decision to look at Wesleyan had nothing to do with the fact that it was a women's college." Vida was a Georgian whose summer visit to her initial first-choice college "just didn't feel right." At the start of her senior year, she knew that she "wanted to go to a small school, not in the metro Atlanta area, and become a math teacher."
When Melissa Bell '93 became Vida's English teacher that fall, she encouraged her to look into Wesleyan. "I attended the first overnight visitation, and knew instantly that I had found my new home. Melissa continued to encourage me throughout the four years I was at Wesleyan, whenever I wasn't sure if I would make it. It has been a dream of mine to see one of my own students graduate from Wesleyan." Vida teaches high school math in Stockbridge, GA, and recently received a Master of Education degree in Mathematics Education from Georgia State University.
Recruiting comes naturally for most Wesleyannes; it’s just part of the tradition of sisterhood. Margaret Duckworth Sewell, who studied psychology and graduated from Wesleyan in 1949, has been sharing information about Wesleyan with Atlanta's young women, parents, and grandparents for years. "I've watched girls grow up at my church and I've talked with them. I've also told their mothers to check out Wesleyan and given them packets of information from Wesleyan."
Margaret proudly shares one unique experience where she chatted with a girl working in the public library during the summer. Following Margaret's introduction to the admission and financial aid staff, the young woman enrolled and completed four years at Wesleyan. "It's easy to talk to girls with summer and Saturday jobs about where they want to go to college and what they want to do with their life," she said. With the promise of the Alumnae Referral Scholarship, Margaret and other alumnae will no doubt continue to succeed in referring students to Wesleyan! |
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