Central College in Pella will provide $1,000 scholarships to all new incoming students for the third year in a row after raising record-high donations to its Journey Scholarship Fund.
The fund received more than $1.72 million in fiscal year 2023-24, according to a news release, breaking records for both the fund and the college. The private college received more than $6.13 million in total in the fiscal year, split between scholarships, endowments, programming, projects and university operations.
Central College Vice President for Advancement Sunny Gonzales Eighmy said in the release that excluding estate gifts, this fundraising cycle was the university’s second-best.
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“As a nonprofit, Central is dependent on the generosity of our donors,” Eighmy said in the release. “We are incredibly grateful to our loyal and long-time supporters and those who contributed to our mission for the first time.”
More than $1.9 million was donated to endowments, allowing the university to develop 13 new endowed scholarships. Central has more than 1,000 endowed and annual scholarships available to students, 37 of which are full-tuition scholarships.
“At a time when the value of college education is being questioned at the national level, we know that Central students are earning degrees that make a difference and when they leave campus, they do so much good in this world,” Eighmy said in the release. “Our students are engaged in their communities and serving others with a heart of compassion. Our caring and wonderful donors make everything possible at Central.”
