Judson students get to meet, thank their scholarship donors

Tom Kimble came from a broken home, wasn't the best student in high school and didn't give much thought to attending college.

He had no money either, but he had some athletic ability. And fueled by a pep talk from his basketball coach, he applied to Judson College.

The school took a chance on him. He was accepted on academic probation, but began applying himself and became an academic success plus a four-sport athlete and a member of the Judson Hall of Fame.

But without some financial aid none of it would have been possible. Back then, Kimble, a 1971 graduate, didn't know his benefactor.

"I wish I knew who helped me because I've thanked them a thousand times myself."

Kimble, today an executive vice president at HSBC Finance Corp., was keynote speaker Friday at the annual Endowed Scholarship Dinner, held at the Elgin university's Lindner Center. And the 50 scholarship recipients did get a chance to meet and thank their donors.

"It's part of a whole process that goes on throughout the year," said Cathy Hein, the university's executive director for institutional advancement.

"Students who receive these scholarships write a thank-you letter to donors in the fall, send them holiday cards and in the spring attend this dinner."

This serves to help students understand what kind of a gift was actually given to them, Hein said.

"In some instances, it's a sacrificial gift," she said. "Others are from an estate."

Endowed scholarships at Judson vary from $10,000 to $500,000, Hein said, and are doled out to several students over a number of years.

Local philanthropists include Elgin attorney John Juergensmeyer, Elgin businessman Jack Shales and the family of the late William W. Brady, one of the college's founders and first president of Judson's board of trustees.

"We believe students need to show appreciation for these tremendous gifts," Hein said.