Led by Penny and Roe Stamps – Many Tech Faithful Support Named Scholarships
Every two years, Stamps President’s Scholars from 41 “Stamps schools” convene for three days to connect, share ideas and research, participate in business and service challenges, and meet benefactors Penny and Roe Stamps (center). This year’s convention was hosted by Georgia Tech, with more than 700 students in attendance. The 2019 convention will again be held at Georgia Tech.
The President’s Scholarship program was established in 1981 to attract and retain the nation’s most promising students, combining scholarship and leadership to achieve the Institute’s motto of “Progress and Service.”
Every year, approximately 40 new freshmen would be accepted into this prestigious program, and providing they continued to meet eligibility requirements, a small fraction of these promising young scholars would receive full scholarships covering the total cost of attendance at Georgia Tech for four years, including tuition, fees, books, room and board, and a stipend for miscellaneous living expenses. The majority would receive only partial funding.
Within this cohort of President’s Scholars, there were a select 10 each year — known as Stamps Leadership Scholars — who would receive additional benefits, thanks to the generosity of Honorary Alumna Penny Stamps and E. Roe Stamps, IE 1967, MS IE 1972, HON Ph.D. 2014. In addition to the full ride provided by the Institute, they also received a laptop and a stipend of up to $15,000 to take advantage of enrichment experiences such as outdoor leadership programs, research and internship opportunities, and an international experience.
Then, in 2016, the Stamps Family Charitable Foundation generously doubled its annual grant to extend these additional advantages to all President’s Scholars. In recognition, the program was renamed the Stamps President’s Scholars program.
The baseline program benefits, however, always have been and still are funded either from the Institute’s unrestricted philanthropic sources or from 116 named, permanent President’s Scholarship endowments established by individual donors (see pp. 14-15), ranging from the $25,000 minimum to more than $1 million. Combined restricted and discretionary funds have bolstered Georgia Tech’s competitiveness in attracting and enrolling exceptional undergraduate men and women who raise the bar for their peers and the faculty, pushing the Institute toward achieving its full potential.
Now the Institute seeks to raise the remaining $75 million in named President’s Scholarship endowments to secure the impact of the Stamps President’s Scholars program in perpetuity. When achieved, President G.P. “Bud” Peterson and successors may redeploy the annual Roll Call gifts and other Institute-unrestricted funds currently dedicated for President’s Scholarships for other strategic initiatives, including need-based scholarships, graduate President’s Fellowships, and faculty support. That represents a two-fold philanthropic return on investment for our donors.
To inquire about establishing or adding to a named scholarship within the Stamps President’s Scholars program, contact any development officer or Vice President for Development Barrett H. Carson at 404.894.1868 or barrett.carson@dev.gatech.edu.