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The Fred L. Emerson Foundation of Auburn, New York, has awarded a $500,000 grant to Ithaca College to establish the James J. Whalen Scholarship Fund in honor of Whalen's 22-year tenure as president of the College. The surprise announcement was made on April 30 as members of the Emerson family and the foundation's board of directors joined with the Ithaca College community in honoring the 1996-97 Emerson Scholars and Interns at a reception in the Campus Center. Whalen will be stepping down from his presidency at the end of June. Board member Gary Emerson said it was an appropriate time for the board to reaffirm its friendship with Whalen and to honor his many accomplishments. "Under his guidance Ithaca College has grown and prospered beyond anyone's expectations," Emerson told the gathering. "Students are Jim's number one priority. "Indeed," he said to Whalen, "Your presidency has become a standard of excellence against which other college presidents will be judged in the future. We feel it is important to remind those in the Ithaca family of this fact from time to time. Finally, we want to honor you in a way which will help future generations of Ithaca College students." "Thank you very, very, much," said Whalen in response to the announcement. "You really don't know how much this means to me. The help this will provide students and the fact that you have associated my name with it is one of the greatest gifts and surprises I've ever had." One of the largest institutional contributors in Ithaca's history, the Emerson Foundation made its initial grant to the College in 1975 to establish the Fred L. Emerson Foundation Endowed Scholarship Fund. In the more than two decades since, the fund has been enhanced through additional gifts and grants from the foundation and by contributions from friends, parents, and graduates of the College, including those who participated as Emerson Scholars, to become the largest such fund at the College. Ithaca has awarded Emerson scholarships to almost 2,700 students. Foundation grants include $250,000 awarded in 1992, establishing the Emerson Intern Awards to allow students with demonstrated need to take advantage of internship opportunities they might not otherwise be able to enjoy because of financial constraints. Most recently, the foundation awarded the College a $500,000, two-for-one challenge grant to support scholarship and internship initiatives and to give students computer network access from their residence hall rooms. |