Supporting exceptional students and changing lives through endowed scholarships
 | After corresponding for four years, Jeff Kelter '76 and Cory Edmonds '08 meet for the first time at the annual Trinity Scholars Reception. |
Nearly one-third of the Cornerstone Campaign for Trinity College—$100 million—will create new endowments to support student financial aid. Indeed, next to academic quality, the most compelling influence on the strength and diversity of a college’s student body is the institution’s ability to offer financial aid, which is often the deciding factor when students and their families make their final college selections. It is no surprise, then, that scholarships comprise the largest single goal of the campaign, with nearly $40 million already committed in gifts and pledges. For first-generation college student Cory Edmonds ’08, the Kelter Family Scholar for his four years at Trinity, the financial aid he received made all the difference. The Brooklyn native describes his time at Trinity as “life altering” and referred to Jeffrey E. Kelter ’76, who created the Kelter Family Scholarship Fund, along with his wife Jennifer and their children, as “one of the banisters in my stairway of life.”
Speaking at the annual Trinity Scholars Reception last April, Kelter addressed student scholars, their parents, and fellow donors, expressing the importance of giving back and making the most of every opportunity Trinity presents. Further, he shared that he never expected to have the chance to meet those g i v i n g t o t r i n i t y whose life he impacted so greatly through the family scholarship. But according to Kelter, “much to my surprise, I received perhaps the nicest letter I have ever received in my life from Cory, completely out of the blue. It gave me the unique opportunity to share a tangible product of our family’s philanthropy first-hand with my children. It was a gratifying real-life lesson that Cory’s kindness taught all of the Kelters. It was invaluable. I kept it.”
Moved by the realization of how their philanthropy changed Cory’s life, Kelter and his family decided to double their already generous campaign gift, increasing the size of the Kelter Family Scholarship Fund so it can support an even greater number of students.
Specific targets for endowing financial aid $65 million to meet demonstrated need
Unrestricted, need-based scholarships will ensure that a Trinity education is accessible to more qualified candidates, whether they are from typical middle-class families with moderate need or from socioeconomic backgrounds with considerably greater financial need.
$20 million for Presidential (merit-based) Scholars Full-tuition awards will be given in recognition of an applicant’s outstanding intellectual promise. Acceptance of approximately 10 or more highly accomplished students each year will enhance the upper profile of each entering class, helping to increase academic rigor and raise Trinity’s academic reputation.
$15 million to support international students Financial awards for applicants from other countries attract extraordinarily qualified students in a number of academic disciplines. Recruiting these students further diversifies the student body, enhances our global connections, and raises our profile.
For more information on supporting scholarships at Trinity, contact the Leadership Giving Office at (860) 297-4214.
