Missie Mills
Reporter
Since its introduction via the fall Milligan
Magazine, a new scholarship funded by 11 recent Milligan graduates has been a
hot topic of discussion in many circles on campus.
Titled by its 11 alumni creators, “The Mother Of All Scholarships” is a $250
bookstore credit for the recipient’s final senior semester.
According to the Milligan Magazine, the scholarship “is intended for a senior
male majoring in business or accounting. The funds are to be used to purchase
books during the student’s last year at Milligan.”
Vice President for Institutional Advancement Todd Norris said the alumni who
created the scholarship, “all lived in Kegley and they want to help current
Milligan students similar to themselves.”
The controversy surrounding the scholarship is grounded in its stipulations.
Applicants must be senior males who live in Kegley and are business or
accounting majors. Some think it is unfair to be so limiting.
One member of the faculty who wished to remain anonymous said, “The Mother of
All Scholarships flies in the face of the Milligan College mission statement.”
The missions statement reads, “As a Christian liberal arts college, Milligan
College seeks to honor God by educating men and women to be servant-leaders.”
The faculty member said that the words “servant-leaders” are mocked by the
scholarship.
Several members of the faculty and staff have expressed concern about the
scholarship but did not wish to comment.
Kegley Associate Professor of Economics and Business Chair Bill Greer pointed
out that not everyone is qualified for every scholarship, and The Mother Of All
Scholarships is no more exclusive than scholarships determined by major, gender
or county.
“That’s just the way scholarships are,” said Robert Mahan, Associate Professor
of Accounting. “It was their choice to do that.”
According to Norris, the benefactors of the scholarship developed a brochure
that “reflected their views (about the scholarship).”
“I think it is intended to be a funny thing,” Norris said.
One of the biggest complaints about the scholarship is how it was first
introduced through the brochure the graduates made and submitted to the
Advancement Office.
“I think the big issue is the brochure,” said Norris, “It was stated exclusively
instead of inclusively,” Norris said. “As far as I know, they are not being
exclusive. They are being inclusive to people who have a similar Milligan
experience. They are wanting to reach out to students who think like they do.”
Norris said that the brochure, which is no longer being used by the advancement
office, was not written by anyone at the college, so it did not hold the
sensitivity that most scholarships written by the college have. The Advancement
Office plans on creating a new brochure for distribution.
“The stipulations here are more extensive,” Norris said.
Mahan said that such stipulations are a customary thing.
“It’s the way you have to do it to make sure the money goes to the people you
want it to.” Mahan said.
Norris feels there has been a “misinterpretation of the intent” of the
scholarship.
“The motivation is that they are very recent graduates--young alums that want to
give back. They really want to help current Milligan students.”
Norris said that when the alumni presented the scholarship to the Advancement
Office, it was thoroughly concieved.
“(The Advancement Office) didn’t want to be discouraging, but probably should
not have given them the leeway,” Norris said
Norris said he did not “anticipate the level of concern” the scholarship has
brought.
According to the Milligan Magazine, to apply for the Mother Of All Scholarships,
males must “submit an essay on the topic of the benefactors’ choosing. The
benefactors, in conjunction with the business faculty, will then select the
recipient