Foundation Scholarships

Blugold Promise-Vyvyan

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

Available

The James and Catherine Vyvyan 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 Vyvyan Blugold Promise has a first preference for a student majoring in chemistry, and a second 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.

Jim Vyvyan graduated from UW-Eau Claire in 1991 with a B.S. in chemistry. He is grateful to all of the UW-Eau Claire faculty for their dedication and especially to Leo Ochrymowycz for introducing him to the excitement of research. Jim was the recipient of several scholarships that helped him graduate from UW-Eau Claire debt-free, so he and Cathy want to help the next generation of students get off to a solid start in college. Jim went on to earn a Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of Minnesota in 1995. After postdoctoral work at Hope College, he joined the faculty at Western Washington University in the fall of 1997 where he teaches organic chemistry and has a research program involving natural products chemistry and the development of new synthetic methods. Jim and his wife of 21 years, Cathy, are raising two boys and enjoying the Pacific Northwest. The recipient should write a thank-you letter to James and Catherine Vyvyan, in care of the UW-Eau Claire Foundation Office, Schofield 214.