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Giving to L&S: Endowments
An endowment is a source of funds held in perpetuity that act as a financial anchor for MSU. Only income generated by the endowment is spent, while the principle remains intact. The College of Letters and Science helps the University builds its endowment by attracting large gifts from alumni, foundations, and friends. Endowment funds also grow because of the wise and prudent investment strategies of the MSU Foundation.
By providing the College of Letters and Science with ongoing income and interest earned on an endowed gift, donors ensure vital, long-term funding for both the College and the University. To guarantee that income from the endowment will always be sufficient to support the endowment purpose, minimum support levels for various types of endowments have been established. Donors who give at these levels have the opportunity to name the endowment for themselves or for people whom they wish to honor and they have the opportunity to direct their support to areas of particular interest to them. Types of endowments that are priorities for the college include:
Endowed Professorships honor and support outstanding faculty and are among the College’s highest priorities. Professorships are traditionally named for faculty members who have made substantial scholarly contributions while at the university. Professorships provide stipends and other enhancements to faculty members currently tenured at the university.
Endowed Undergraduate Scholarships provide a supporting grant to pay tuition and fees for one undergraduate student each year. These scholarships are often used to recruit and/or retain the most promising students.
Graduate Student Fellowships provide a supporting grant to help pay tuition for one graduate student each year. Graduate Student Fellowships are absolutely essential to the College’s ability to attract top graduate students.
Graduate Teaching Assistantships provide tuition support and a stipend for one graduate student each year. The graduate assistant provides teaching assistance to full time faculty.
Program Endowments directly support special projects of faculty. Faculty can tap these funds at their discretion for things such as the purchase of needed equipment, for travel, or to hire research assistants.
Donors also have the opportunity to add to already existing endowments within the College:
The L&S Dean’s Endowed Scholarship provides funding for each of the College’s fifteen departments to award scholarships to incoming students who declare early majors.
The L&S Professorship is a prestigious three-year award that recognizes the accomplishments of exceptional faculty in the College. Faculty members who receive the professorship accept an annual award and give a public lecture during the first year of the professorship. A gift of $2,500 will fund one professorship for one year.
For more information about endowment gifts or to make an endowed gift, please contact the College of Letters and Science Development Office.
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