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A major gift from an anonymous donor has provided immediate funding for a new scholarship program at Abilene Christian University. The donation is designated to assist high-achieving business students demonstrating the greatest amount of financial need.

“The premise of this program is to enable academically gifted students to attend ACU, though they don’t have the financial means to do so,” said Dr. Gary McCaleb, vice president emeritus, who worked closely with the donor in establishing the Schubert Scholars program. “Maybe it’s always been a dream to enroll at ACU, but they couldn’t see how that’s possible – those are the students this program is designed to support.”

The donor also wanted to honor ACU president Dr. Phil Schubert and his wife, Brooke, by naming the program Schubert Scholars. Schubert is a graduate of ACU’s College of Business Administration, following in the footsteps of his two older brothers. Schubert’s father was a full-time minister. 

“Education, at its best, brings out our greatest potential. As a student at ACU, I found people who believed in me, and who saw things in me that I would have never seen in myself. My hope is that the Schubert Scholars program will inspire students to achieve beyond what they thought possible,” Schubert said. “As we continue to emerge as a national university, we want to ensure students have the resources they need to thrive at ACU and then take what they’ve learned and apply it in their lives and careers. Brooke and I are honored for this initiative to bear our name, and we are so thankful to the generous donor who made this possible.”

Eligibility requirements for the scholarship include majoring in a program within the College of Business Administration and demonstrating high financial need – through eligibility for Pell Grants or Tuition Equalization Grants, or through need determination by ACU’s Office of Financial Aid. The Schubert Scholars funds would be applied in addition to other qualifying grants, to cover gaps in the student’s ability to pay for various aspects of attending ACU. The award will be made on a semester-by-semester basis with renewal dependent on the student remaining in good standing academically and maintaining part-time employment.

The funding is designed to be current-use, rather than endowed, so all money is available immediately. With the initial commitment in place, others are invited to participate in growing this fund to perpetuate its impact. Learn more about how you can contribute to the Schubert Scholars fund by contacting the Office of Advancement or making a gift online and designating it to “Schubert Scholars.”

If you know of a student who might be interested in applying to be a Schubert Scholar, contact an admissions counselor for more information.

— Wendy Kilmer

April 12, 2023