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Enhancing
Access: Scholarship Funds
Barnard
is committed to a "needs-based" financial aid policy:
the College fully meets the demonstrated need of every promising
student who is admitted. Inherent in this policy is Barnard's
promise to support the talented young women it admits, regardless
of their ability to afford a Barnard education. Because of
this commitment, financial aid is one of the College's highest
fund-raising priorities. Alumnae, parents, and friends of
the College generously support the next generation of Barnard
women through various kinds of scholarships. For many deserving
students who could not otherwise afford a Barnard education,
scholarships open the door to undreamed-of possibilities.
Click here for more information
about establishing a scholarship fund at Barnard.
Hands-On
Learning: Internship Funds
Hands-on learning is a key component of a Barnard education.
Internships add a valuable dimension to the academic experience,
offering unique opportunities for learning in every imaginable
field—from urban studies, religion, and the arts, to
media and public health. However, most internships do not
offer stipends or other compensation, and many students cannot
afford the luxury of an unpaid internship. They may need a
regular source of income to make the required contribution
to their financial aid package, or to supplement their parents'
contribution if they do not qualify for financial aid. Endowed
and expendable internship funds enable students to take advantage
of the many hands-on learning opportunities that New York
City offers. Click here
for more information about establishing an internship fund
at Barnard.
The
Barnard Fund Scholars
The Barnard Fund Scholars is a current-use financial aid
program that connects students with donors who wish to support
their education. A donor who establishes a Barnard Fund Scholarship
has the satisfaction of knowing that his or her annual support
is helping to meet a critical need at the College while enjoying
a personal relationship with a current Barnard student. By
making a gift of $10,000 or more to The Barnard Fund, a donor
can create a one-year scholarship for an individual student.
An alumna’s gift to The Barnard Fund Scholars program
is counted in her class’s Fund total.
What
are the benefits of establishing a Barnard Fund Scholarship?
In addition to providing a student with the support she needs
to succeed, a Barnard Fund Scholarship often leads to a meaningful
connection between the donor and the scholar. A donor who
establishes a Barnard Fund Scholarship receives written reports
about his or her student, and the student learns the name
of the donor as well as any other information the donor wishes
to share. Each spring, donors are invited to meet their scholars
at the Torchbearers Reception, a gathering that celebrates
the special relationship between students and their champions.
Many students
enjoy corresponding with their benefactors by letter or e-mail.
In gratitude for the support they received as students, many
scholarship recipients support the College’s financial
aid program later in life, extending an ever-widening circle
of opportunity. Supporting an individual student through a
Barnard Fund Scholarship is a powerful way to make a difference
in a student’s life, and to sustain the values shared
by Barnard women everywhere.
How
do Barnard Fund Scholarships figure into Barnard's financial
aid program? Because Barnard’s endowment lags far
behind those of its peers and major competitors, the College
relies heavily on The Barnard Fund, its “living endowment,”
to defray many day-to-day operating expenses—including
financial aid. Barnard is committed to a “needs-based”
financial aid policy: the College admits the most promising
applicants without regard to their families’ financial
circumstances, then meets the full demonstrated need of every
admitted student. As a result, the financing of a Barnard
education is a genuine partnership involving students, their
families, the College, and generous donors. Alumnae, parents,
and friends help keep Barnard accessible through Barnard Fund
Scholarships and other immediate-use contributions to The
Barnard Fund.
How
many students need support? Last year, more than half
of Barnard’s students (56%) required financial aid. In
addition, every student—including those whose families
pay full tuition—receives a “silent scholarship”
in excess of $11,000. This is because the actual costs of
instruction, research, facilities, student services, and institutional
support are so high. Nevertheless, Barnard tuition is comparable
to (and in several cases less than) that at peer colleges
with greater financial resources. By helping to fill the 31%
gap between tuition and the actual cost of a Barnard education,
yearly gifts to The Barnard Fund, including the Scholars program,
enable the College to keep tuition increases to a minimum.
These
are just a few of the key areas in which leadership donors
can make a difference in the educational process at Barnard.
For more information about making a leadership gift, please
contact the Office of Major Gifts by calling 212-854-2001,
or email development@barnard.edu.
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