Recent protesters at the University of Washington will be happy to hear that although scholarships around the country have been stung by a bad economy, the Husky Pride Fund at UW recently hit its fundraising goal of $50,000. The fund is student-raised and student-controlled.

Students will use the money raised for need-based scholarships. The fund’s creators set the $50,000 goal during the 2006-2007 school year.

“I knew eventually that it was going to become a good source of scholarship for those who really need it and those in emergency situations,” said Mike Snowden, founder and vice chair of the fund. “I knew it would take time, but I really wanted to create a sustainable infrastructure that students need.”
The Fund, which was created by UW's student government, began the year with $22,000. Group members raise money primarily through change jars located around campus and by selling "Husky Tees," a student-designed T-shirt celebrating the University.

The students behind the Fund showed that quality long-range planning, something that often escapes student governments, can be a powerful and lucrative tool.

Although no money has been awarded yet, the Fund's members are in discussions with University administrators to determine effective models for scholarship distribution. 

“We considered the scholarship allocation at the beginning of the fund’s development as an unnecessary stress and wanted to hit the mark first,” Snowden said.

Once it begins distributing money, the fund will become the only scholarship on campus not controlled by the administration. This means it will be untouched by the recent funding cuts that have recently taken a toll on colleges and universities across the country.


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