Scholarships help students afford laptop computers

The College of Business is working to ensure that itsgraduates are prepared to be leaders in today’s high-tech world.

This fall, every COB student will be required
to have access to a laptop computer for use in classes that require a computer. The information systems department has been piloting the program this
spring and gifts through the UW-Eau Claire Foundation are ensuring that those students with financial challenges get help to meet this requirement.

Northwestern Mutual, a longtime supporter of the COB and IS department, provided a gift to the UW-Eau Claire Foundation to help financially needy students purchase
laptop computers for school. Additionally, alumnus Rick Schroder ’77 and his wife, Evelyn Zabo, from Issaquah, Wash., also provided laptop scholarship funds. Schroder and Zabo also have committed more funding to support scholarships for 2009-10. These collective gifts supported 10 laptop scholarships this spring.

“The scholarships were a matter of academic survival for these students,” Thomas Hilton, chair of the IS department, said. “For example, one student came to me who was the first in her family ever to go to college. She had used all available financial aid, and her family was not able to help her. She was desperate. The scholarship was crucial for her to continue her education.”

Hilton said students understand the requirement and have been very responsive this semester to having their own laptop computers. However, he did say that while most students did not find it a problem to bring their own laptop computers, there was a group of students who had indicated that it would be very difficult financially for them to purchase a laptop. That is why he decided to establish the scholarship and seek funding support.

Those interested in helping students meet the laptop computer requirement may
e-mail Hilton at Hiltonts@ uwec.edu or phone him at 715-836-3416.