College education is costly, but our students are willing to pay the cost because they believe that the education they are getting is worth it. However, for some current students, keeping up with the tuition and living expenses, and for some recent graduates, paying the student loan debt upon graduation has become a daunting task to face. The current state of the economy is making both situations even more challenging for our students.

Fortunately, for select mathematics majors, the financial burden is somewhat alleviated by the competitive scholarships that the Mathematics Department offers. These scholarships are funded with the Mathematics Endowment Scholarship Fund. Each year since 2008, approximately 8 students received the Mathematics Scholarship with each student receiving $800-900. However, considering that the total number of mathematics majors is more than 500 (and increasing every year), scholarship recipients make up less than 2% of all mathematics majors. Our goal is to increase the number of scholarships we give each year.

We are grateful to faculty, staff, but most importantly to the alumni who have generously supported this fund in the past. For some, the donation is a way to make a positive change in the world. For some, it is a way to share their love of mathematics. For some, it is an investment in our future. For others, it is a way to give back to the community which gave so much to them.

So now, we are asking you to consider donating to the Mathematics Endowment Scholarship Fund so that we can help more students with their financial struggles. No matter how modest or lavish your donation is, it will make a big difference in our students' lives. Collectively, your donations will enable more students to turn their education into a bright future and these students will be forever grateful for your support.

To learn more about the different scholarships offered to mathematics majors and other students at Grand Valley, visit https://www.gvsu.edu/scholarships/. To learn more about giving options and to give online, visit https://www.gvsu.edu/giving/give-online1.htm.