Morgan State University News May 4, 2011 Morgan Receives $1 Million Gift from Bernard Osher Foundation Morgan State University President David Wilson today announced a $1 million endowment gift from the Bernard Osher Foundation to support the MSU Center for Continuing and Professional Studies' Osher Re-entry Scholarship Program. An additional $ 50,000 bridge grant award accompanied the endowment to provide financial assistance to nontraditional students enrolled in undergraduate degree programs beginning academic year 2011-2012. "This endowment gift is a testament to the extraordinary work of Dr. Willie Bragg, Program Director of the Osher Re-entry Scholarship Program and our exceptional students," said Dr. Wilson. "We value the collaborative partnership with the Bernard Osher Foundation and its support of this important initiative." The endowment gift is the first from the foundation awarded to Morgan providing support for a diverse population. According to Dr. Bragg, who also serves as Assistant Dean, School of Graduate Studies and Director of Continuing Studies, the endowment will aid in establishing sustainability of the Osher Re-entry Scholarship Program as well as meeting the academic needs of adult students. The scholarship program targets Maryland residents who are nontraditional students ages 25 - 50, have experienced a gap in their educational career of five years or more and are pursuing undergraduate degrees at the university. Since its inception in 2008, the program has provided scholarships annually to more than a dozen students. Osher Re-entry scholarship recipients represent several academic disciplines which include architecture, social work, business administration, physics, engineering, sociology, elementary education, and finance. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Program Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 404.592.4820 Skype:sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (Lyrasis) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children.