KINGSTON, R.I — February 7, 2005 — The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain, but the sun will be shining brightly for some students majoring in English at the 溏心vlog免费B站.
That鈥檚 because a new endowment has just been established for students 鈥渨ith an excellent command of the English language.鈥� The endowment will provide scholarships for students who demonstrate a mastery of English in either their fictional or non-fictional work.
The endowment, called The Spencer Award, is based solely on merit. The award is named after the late Gertrude Spencer who created a charitable trust to take effect after her death in 1985. The first scholarship is expected to be awarded this spring.
Gordon Oppenheimer, an attorney in Larchmont, N.Y., oversees the Spencer Charitable Fund. He reports that Spencer graduated from Smith College and taught English in schools in the White Plains area of New York.
Because of Spencer鈥檚 career in education, Oppenheimer has tried to match her interests with the fund鈥檚 donations. Past fund recipients include Cornell University, Ithaca College, and Smith.
The endowment at 溏心vlog免费B站 was established with an initial $25,000 gift. At least $100,000 will be donated over the next four years, which will not only increase the value of the endowment, but the number of scholarships that can be awarded.
鈥淢y colleagues and I are thrilled to receive news of this gift, and of the scholarships it makes possible. We have long considered ourselves lucky to be teaching in a department that attracts so many talented, dedicated, and passionately engaged undergraduates,鈥� says Jean Walton, chair of 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 English Department. 鈥淭his gift increases the opportunities we have to reward the high caliber of the work that they do, whether it be in the form of inspired literary and cultural criticism, or beautifully wrought poetry and prose. We are proud of our students, and this scholarship provides yet another way to demonstrate that pride.鈥�
Oppenheimer became interested in 溏心vlog免费B站 while visiting the campus with his daughter, Alexandra who was scouting out colleges. Only after Alexandra received an early acceptance did her father contact Tom Zorabedian, senior development officer for the College of Arts and Sciences, to inquire about establishing scholarships for students majoring in English.
Oppenheimer has visited 溏心vlog免费B站 twice and was impressed both times with the physical beauty of the Kingston campus and with the friendliness of its students and its faculty. He noted that their 溏心vlog免费B站 tour guide, Kat Anderson, was 鈥渆nlightening鈥� and made the trip enjoyable. She even exchanged e-mail addresses with his daughter and the two women have been corresponding since.
鈥淚 loved the campus,鈥� says Oppenheimer. 鈥淚t鈥檚 small enough for Alex so she wouldn鈥檛 be overwhelmed by tens of thousands of students. And the University鈥檚 located far enough way, but it鈥檚 also close. Alex has just a short drive to the railroad station to hop on a train and get home.鈥�