Few gifts offer greater satisfaction than a gift to establish a scholarship. Carl and Brucy Mae Samuels were able to experience that satisfaction firsthand. Although neither attended Illinois Wesleyan, in 1986 the couple established the Carl B. and Brucy Mae Samuels African-American Student Scholarship Fund for African-American students and Black Studies programming.

Carl and Brucy Mae were married Oct. 8, 1927, and celebrated a beautiful life together until her death in 1987. Carl died on March 23, 2005.

Carl, a Bloomington native, was born on March 3, 1906. The eighth of ten children, he quit school in fifth grade to help support his family. He worked for 30 years as a coach porter on the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad and later as a janitor at Illinois State University before retiring in the 1970s.

Brucy Mae, also a Bloomington native, worked as a housekeeper and managed the household's finances.

"They came from very modest backgrounds but felt very rich when they came in contact with the students," says Ben Rhodes, IWU's associate vice president for advancement.

Carl and Brucy Mae chose to support Illinois Wesleyan because of its academic excellence and support of African-American students. The couple established a gift annuity to create the scholarship, then added to it through a bequest in Carl's will.

While neither of them attended college, they were aware of the importance of education. Their support continues to benefit and enhance the experience of IWU African-American students, and every student who has received the scholarship has graduated on time, Rhodes says.

"Carl and Brucy Mae Samuels knew that a quality education would be increasingly important for future generations of young people," Rhodes says. "Their foresight and generosity is directly impacting students and helping to change lives. Theirs is truly a gift that will continue to give."

Why Scholarships Benefit IWU
We're dedicated to ranking among the finest institutions of higher learning. Providing scholarship awards based on financial need and outstanding academic performance is an integral part of our goal. Scholarships for students who lack financial resources greatly strengthen society in general. Furthermore, scholarships based on academic performance give us a competitive edge in attracting top students, and top students attract top faculty.

Scholarship Opportunities
Our scholarship funds are managed by our financial aid department. Unlike many forms of financial aid, a scholarship is "gift assistance," which does not have to be repaid by the student.

There are two basic types of scholarships that you can establish:

• Annual scholarship. This award provides the student with funds that are completely disbursed or liquidated in a single academic year. The scholarship, however, can be renewed with ongoing commitments.
• Endowed scholarship. An endowment is funded first, and then the income it earns is used to provide students with funds. The principal remains untouched, so the endowment lasts forever.

Once you have decided to make a gift, there are many ways to fund a scholarship. You can choose what assets to donate, what guidelines will be used to select the recipients, what name the scholarship will have and much more.

We would be happy to meet with you to explore your options and identify the scholarship program and the method of giving that is right for you. Please contact Steve Seibring '81 at 309-556-3135 or [email protected] for a sample of the Letter of Understanding, which provides more information on how a scholarship at IWU is established and managed.

Like Carl and Brucy Mae Samuels, you can have the fulfilling experience of enabling students to attend Illinois Wesleyan and then hearing from them about their progress. It's a contribution that will last a lifetime and make an impact for even longer.