Over 99% of Undergraduates Rely on Financial Assistance
For many bright, motivated young people, scholarship funding is the deciding factor that makes completing a college degree possible. By establishing an endowed or named scholarship, you directly remove financial barriers and empower the healthcare providers, engineers, teachers, and civic innovators of tomorrow.
Philanthropic Structures
Ways to Fund Student Scholarships
Flexible options structured to match your financial goals and personal philanthropic timeline.
Endowed Permanent Scholarships
Create a perpetual legacy that awards scholarship grants year after year in perpetuity.
- Minimum endowment threshold starts at $25,000
- Can be funded over a multi-year pledge (up to 5 years)
- Principal is invested in university endowment and preserved intact
- Annual interest earnings fund the scholarship awards
- Name the scholarship in honor of your family, professor, or organization
- Customize selection criteria (major, GPA, financial need, hometown)
- Receive annual scholar academic profiles and letters of gratitude
- Induction into The President’s Circle giving society
Named Term Scholarships
Provide immediate high-impact tuition aid deployed directly in the upcoming academic semester.
- Minimum commitment of $5,000 annually for 3 consecutive years
- 100% of gift is awarded directly as tuition assistance each term
- Can specify major, school, or undergraduate class standing
- Fastest way to support students facing immediate tuition shortfalls
- Annual donor recognition in university honor rolls
- Invitation to the annual Spring Scholarship Reception
- Opportunity to meet your scholarship recipient in person
- Direct alternative to long-term endowment funding
Memorial & Class Gift Funds
Unite fellow alumni or family members to honor the memory of a beloved graduate or faculty leader.
- Crowdsourced giving pages hosted on the university giving portal
- Contributions of any size combine toward permanent endowment
- Commemorative memorial plaque in Wahlstrom Library atrium
- Family receives personal notification of all memorial contributions
- Ideal for reunion class milestone gifts
- Celebrates enduring impact of legendary UB professors
- Tax-deductible for all participating contributors
- Enduring tribute that advances student education
Step-by-Step Creation
Establishing Your Scholarship Agreement
Our Advancement team collaborates with you to craft a personalized Scholarship Memorandum of Understanding.
1. Define Name & Vision
- Name the fund in honor or memory of a loved onenEstablish personal purpose and philanthropic goalsnDraft a customized biographical donor profilenDocument your lasting commitment to UB
2. Select Recipient Criteria
- Designate academic school, division, or degree programnSpecify academic merit thresholds (e.g. 3.0+ GPA)nIndicate preference for financial need or geographynAlign with university non-discrimination policies
3. Fund Your Pledge
- Fund via cash, check, credit card, or appreciated stocknPledges payable over 1 to 5 calendar yearsnQualifies for corporate matching gift amplificationnCan be supplemented through estate will bequests
Meaningful Connections: The Spring Scholarship Luncheon
Donors who establish endowed and named scholarships are invited to campus each spring for the annual Scholarship Stewardship Luncheon.nnThis signature campus event allows benefactors to sit with their student scholarship recipients, learn firsthand about their academic dreams and career ambitions, and witness the direct human impact of their generosity.
- Annual personal letter of thanks written by your student recipient
- Annual endowment investment financial statements detailing fund growth
- VIP invitations to university lectures, gala events, and presidential briefings
- Permanent inscription on the Wahlstrom Library Philanthropy Wall
Can I fund an endowed scholarship through my will or estate plan?
Yes! Many benefactors create an endowed scholarship by designating University of Bridgeport as a beneficiary in their will, living trust, or retirement plan.
Can I specify that my scholarship go to a student from my hometown or state?
Yes. Geographic preferences (such as graduates of Bridgeport public high schools, Fairfield County residents, or specific states) can be accommodated in your agreement.
How are scholarship recipients selected?
The University Financial Aid and Scholarship Committee reviews eligible student candidates against the criteria outlined in your agreement and selects the most qualified recipient.
Office of Principal Gifts & Endowments
Have questions regarding establishing a scholarship? Our team is eager to assist you.