College Debuts New Eisenhower Scholarship for Class of 2024

scholarship values

By Phoebe Doscher and Benjamin Pontz

Gettysburg College has introduced a new merit scholarship geared towards incoming students with records of civic engagement. The Eisenhower Scholarship, named for the 34th President of the United States and namesake of the college’s public policy institute, represents the highest merit-based offering to incoming students at $40,000 per year. Approximately ten members of the Class of 2024, for which the college is currently accepting applications, will receive the renewable award.

Unlike the college’s other merit scholarships, the Eisenhower Scholarship requires prospective students to submit a separate application detailing their record of civic engagement, why civic engagement is important to them, and how their engagement will leave a “lasting legacy,” the application says.

The college will continue to offer its other four merit scholarships: Lincoln (which was previously the top award), Presidential, David Wills, and 1832 Founders, the values of which have increased for incoming students to $32,000, $27,000, $24,000, and $15,000 respectively. For the class of 2020, which enrolled four years ago, the values remain at $25,000, $15,000, $10,000, and $7,000 respectively. The value of merit scholarships do not change commensurate with annual tuition increases.

Eisenhower Scholarship Program

The scholarship aims to recognize students who are transforming their communities and are active participants in civic engagement “locally, nationally, and/or internationally,” college marketing material says. Similar to the Lincoln Scholar program, Eisenhower Scholars will be paired with an upper-class mentor interested in civic engagement and will have the option to attend a pre-orientation program.

They will also take a First-Year Seminar during the fall semester on a topic related to civic engagement as well as a spring semester civic engagement series, and have an opportunity to register for courses early.

Eisenhower Scholars must maintain a cumulative 3.0 GPA at the end of each academic year to retain the scholarship.

According to college spokesperson Jamie Yates, the scholarship aligns with Gettysburg’s values of responsibility and service, and encourages students to enhance and support civic institutions in our democracy, continuing the work students do in their communities at home when they arrive at Gettysburg.

“By participating in both a First-Year Seminar on a topic related to civic engagement in the fall and a Civic Engagement Series in the spring, recipients of this scholarship will continue to learn, engage, and grow both personally and professionally and ignite change once they graduate,” she said.

Scholarship Goals

Yates emphasized that Gettysburg College will continue to allot upwards of $65 million in financial aid to students across its merit and need-based financial aid programs. The new scholarship specifically aims to celebrate and encourage students to bring an attitude of making change to the college.

“We have had a long history of civic engagement here at the College, but it is naturally ingrained within all of us as individuals before we step foot on campus. This scholarship recognizes those individuals who are already showcasing our values and transforming their communities in their own ways,” Yates said.

“This scholarship recognizes those individuals who are already showcasing our values and transforming their communities in their own ways.” -Jamie Yates

In his September inaugural address, President Bob Iuliano signaled similar themes as institutional values for the college.

“The health of our civic institutions requires engaged citizens ready and able to exercise their voice thoughtfully and responsibly,” he said. “When this College, and institutions like it, graduate broadly educated students with the skills and determination to get involved, we have every reason to believe that our country’s fragile democratic experiment may long endure.”

This article originally appeared on page 7 of the December 6, 2019 edition of The Gettysburgian’s magazine.

Author: Phoebe Doscher

Phoebe Doscher ’22 is the Editor-in-Chief of The Gettysburgian. She formerly worked as Magazine Editor, News Editor, Assistant News Editor, Staff Writer, and Copyeditor. She is an English with a Writing Concentration and Theatre Arts double major. On campus, she is an intern for Gettysburg’s Communications & Marketing Office, the president of the Owl & Nightingale Players, and the News Director for WZBT, serving as the co-host of The Gettysburgian’s podcast On Target.

Author: Benjamin Pontz

Benjamin Pontz '20 served as Editor-in-Chief of The Gettysburgian from 2018 until 2020, Managing News Editor from 2017 until 2018, News Editor in the spring of 2017, and Staff Writer during the fall of 2016. During his tenure, he wrote 232 articles. He led teams that won two first place Keystone Press Awards for ongoing news coverage (once of Bob Garthwait's resignation, and the other of Robert Spencer's visit to campus) and was part of the team that wrote a first-place trio of editorials in 2018. He also received recognition for a music review he wrote in 2019. A political science and public policy major with a music minor, he graduated in May of 2020 and will pursue a master's degree in public policy on a Fulbright Scholarship at the University of Manchester before enrolling in law school.

Share This Post On

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *