Foundation Scholarships

Blugold Promise-Mercer

$500 award for first year, second year renewal at $1,000.

Available

The Greg and Lori Mercer Blugold Promise Scholarship shall be awarded to an outstanding incoming freshman student who has graduated from high school in Wisconsin, been accepted for admission to UW-Eau Claire and demonstrates significant financial need as initially reported by the students and verified by the UW-Eau Claire Financial Aid Office. The Mercer Blugold Promise has a preference for a student majoring in a science. To be considered, students must rank in the top 25% of their graduating classes and have a minimum of a 25 composite on the Act (or comparable SAT), have a well- rounded high school record of academic achievement, leadership and involvement in extracurricular activities. In general a student who has a zest for life and a desire to get the most out of his/her college education will receive primary consideration. Recipients who have a successful freshman year and maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 by the end of their first year will receive a $1,000 scholarship their sophomore year.

To be considered for Incoming Freshman Student Admissions Scholarships, just submit the application for admission. There is no separate application to apply, though demonstration of financial need is required for certain merit-based scholarships. Your application for admission will be considered for all scholarships for which you are eligible. If you have questions, please contact the Admissions Office at (715)836-5415.

The Admissions Office will coordinate the selection process, which is highly competitive. The process is based off of the student’s admissions profile including: transcripts, academic history, list of involvements and essays. These are among the criteria that will be reviewed for scholarship purposes.

Screening of candidates will begin in December for some early awards and continue through the spring or until awards are accepted.

Scholarship award notices will be sent to scholarship recipients by the beginning of April of student’s senior year. If scholarships are declined, they will be re- awarded to alternates through the summer months.

Greg and Lori (Gee) Mercer graduated from UW-Eau Claire in 1985 (chemistry) and 1986 (communicative disorders), respectively. While attending graduate school at Washington State University, they were married in 1987. They now reside in the Seattle, WA area where Greg is a research chemist with the FDA. Lori recently sold her business (hearing clinic) and is now employed as an audiologist at the same clinic. With two sons attending college in the fall of 2011, Greg and Lori are intimately familiar with the skyrocketing costs of education. Their undergraduate education at UW-Eau Claire provided a very solid foundation and was critical to their success. Both believe a college education, particularly in science, is critical for the U.S. to remain competitive on a global level. They hope their gift will help offset some of the college expenses enough to enable a student to attend college and obtain a degree in a science-related field. The recipient should write a thank-you letter to Greg and Lori Mercer, in care of the UW-Eau Claire Foundation Office, Schofield 214.