Chapman University on Wednesday will get a $1 million gift from the Illinois-based Give Something Back Inc., a non-profit public charity. The money will help provide four-year scholarships for students who have faced extreme hardship, especially those who have experienced the incarceration or loss of a parent or who have spent time in foster care, according to the philanthropic organization.
Robert Carr, founder and chairman of Give Something Back, is an entrepreneur, philanthropist and author. He grew up in a financially strapped household in rural Illinois. This is the public charity’s first gift to Chapman.
The money will be used to fund scholarships for a total of 50 students over the next five years, including four students who will start at Chapman in the fall. They will receive free tuition, room and board.
“Socio-economic diversity is one of our enrollment goals and the students we are targeting for the Give Something Back scholarship have the highest need possible, with an expected family contribution of $0,” a Chapman spokeswoman said. “They may also qualify for Chaffey Grants and Cal Grants.”
If the students get those grants as well, then Chapman can offer more scholarships to “more needy and deserving students,” the spokeswoman said.
“Even with the Give Something Back scholarships, Chapman is funding the majority of the scholarship,” she said.
The gift was facilitated by Betty Uribe, an executive vice president in the Irvine office of San Diego-based California Bank & Trust, Uribe said. Carr will introduce the Illinois-based program and present the check to university officials Wednesday morning.
