WU Programs Receives $1 Million

The endowment helps Willamette Academy, which caters to teens.

September 26, 2003
By Dan de Carbonel

Reprinted with permission of the Statesman Journal.

A couple wanting to remain anonymous provided Willamette University with a $1 million endowment for its teen college-preparedness program, the university announced Thursday.
The gift is the largest directed to the Willamette Academy. Its first class of 30 seventh-graders attended 10 days of on-campus instruction in summer 2002 and will continue with supplemental sessions through high school.
The program is intended to improve diversity on college campuses by providing underrepresented middle- and high-school students from the Salem-Keizer School District with the tools to succeed in college.
The gift is the first endowment to the program. Elaine Green, the academy's director, said the program wants to be self-sufficient through endowments but now supplements its $170,000 budget with grants and donations.
Green said the couple who provided the donation are alumni of the university and have been involved with Willamette Academy since the program was conceived.
" We're' gratified to see their commitment to diversifying the college community," she said. "We are very, very pleased."
The academy expects to have 110 students enrolled by the 2006-07 academic year. Plans call for 20 to 30 new students each academic year. Green said the program plans to keep total enrollment below 150.
This year's class of 21 was culled from 91 applications. " What we're looking for is academic potential from
students who don't have the family background with college," she said.
Each student's family also is expected to make a commitment to the program in support of the student.
In addition to the summer on-campus portion, each student receives more than 400 hours of focused activity, including 250 hours of classroom instruction. The goal is to improve grades and SAT scores and lower
the dropout rate among students underrepresented on college campuses.
Green said the five-year program emphasizes critical thinking, leadership and a love of learning as well as traditional academic subjects such as math, science, history, language arts and social sciences.

Dan de Carbonel can be reached at (503) 399-6714 or ddecarbo@StatesmanJournal.com

Willamette Academy News Archive

Fall 2007— Academy Sends Off Graduates, Welcomes New Director (from The Scene)

Summer 2007— Paving the Way (from The Scene)

July 18, 2006 - June 18, 2007 — A Year in the Life: Willamette Academy (an continuing story by Sarah J. Evans)

Oct. 10, 2005 — Salem family’s dream lost in son’s death (from the Statesman Journal)

Jul. 22, 2005 — Streams get some TLC (from the Statesman Journal)

Nov. 16, 2004 — Willamette Academy Awarded $75,000

Sep. 1, 2004 — College preparatory program wins grant (from the Statesman Journal)

Feb. 20, 2004 — Classified Staff Supports Willamette Academy (from Inside Willamette)

Oct. 15, 2003 — Mini dose of college (from The Collegian)

Sep. 26, 2003 — WU Program Receives $1 Million (from the Statesman Journal)

Fall 2003— Donation Brings a Million Opportunities (from The Scene)

Mar. 23, 2003 — Blueprints for diversity (from the Statesman Journal)

Feb. 17, 2003 — The Monday Profile: Champion of Diversity (from The Oregonian)

Fall 2002 — Willamette Academy Offiers Bridge to Students of Color (from The Scene)

Aug. 10, 2002 — Two-week camp exposes life in higher education (from the Statesman Journal)

Aug. 9, 2002 — University helps kids make grade for future (from The Oregonian)

Jun. 1, 2001 — Willamette Receives Grants to Establish Programs for Ethnically Diverse Students