In an effort to expand the circle of opportunity for African Americans and other underserved students, a scholarship program with a proven record of success has been created for eligible students at Indiana University’s Bloomington campus.
The IU Bloomington Bowen Family Scholars Program is designed to assist underrepresented student populations in their pursuit of higher education, as well as to further Indiana University’s diversity and inclusion work.
The Bowen Family Foundation is funding the new Bloomington scholars program as part of a program model created by Bob and Terry Brown at Ivy Tech Community College in 1993. In 2014, the scholarship program was expanded to include the Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) campus.
“Everyone counts or nobody counts. We want to give these young, underrepresented students a chance to live the American Dream,” says Terry Bowen. “No one prepares the students better than Indiana University and the Kelley School of Business.”
To date, the Bowen Scholars Program at Ivy Tech and IUPUI has provided more than 800 students with various scholarships.
“We are indebted to the generosity of the Bowen Family Foundation through this gift,” says James Wimbush, vice president of diversity, equity and multicultural affairs, dean of the University Graduate School, and Johnson Chair for diversity and leadership at Indiana University. “Bob and Terry Brown have long had a deep commitment to the transformative power of education and understand that by giving these scholars an opportunity, they impact those students’ lives and the lives of their family members and the surrounding community.”
The Indiana University Foundation will administer the new Bloomington scholarship program.
The IU Bloomington Bowen Family Scholarship will initially support 10 undergraduate students on the Bloomington campus with funding of $1,500 per semester. The scholarship may be renewed for up to four years for Bowen Scholars who continue to meet the scholarship requirements.
Specifically, students must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.3 on a 4.0 scale, demonstrate financial need, and be participating in any program within the Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs (OVPDEMA).
As part of Indiana University’s commitment to diversity, special consideration will be given to underrepresented populations, including but not limited to financially challenged students and/or students with diverse cultural experiences, with an emphasis on African American students admitted to the IU Bloomington Kelley School of Business program.
In addition to financial support, the IU Bloomington Bowen Family Scholarship will provide recipients with advising and other support to encourage their academic and personal success.
“This scholarship is about helping IU provide multiple opportunities for underrepresented and deserving students so they can gain access to knowledge and resources integral to their academic and future educational success,” says Joyce Rogers, interim executive vice president for development of the IU Foundation. “We are certainly honored and grateful to the Bowen family for their continuing and enduring support—support that will have a lasting impact on future generations."