One hundred percent of this year’s incoming class is receiving some form of scholarship aid from Bridgewater College, according to Michael Post, Vice President for Enrollment Management. These scholarships are in addition to any federal or state financial aid for which the students and their families qualify. Bridgewater President Dr. David Bushman said that this additional financial aid often makes the difference in whether a student can attend Bridgewater or not.
“We have set our tuition at a level that is sustainable and an accurate reflection of the actual cost to deliver an excellent college education,” Bushman said. “But higher education is not cheap and there are still barriers for many students.”
Making higher education more accessible, especially to first-generation and moderate-income students, has long been a priority for Bridgewater College, Bushman said. Much of the funding provided to BC students comes from the nearly 300 endowed scholarships established by donors over the past decades. The Office of Financial Aid reported awarding more than $3 million annually in scholarships from endowment earnings in the past several years.
In addition to endowed scholarships, there is now a new source of financial aid for students: the Eagle Fund. According to Bushman, this is a current-use scholarship fund wherein donations are immediately available to eligible students to offset the cost of college. The amount available in current-use scholarships is directly dependent on donations and has varied over the years.
This summer, Bridgewater College launched the public phase of Connections: The Campaign for Bridgewater College, a multi-year fundraising effort focused, in part, on increasing donations to the Eagle Fund. Nearly 600 donors have supported the Eagle Fund since its inception, raising more than $5 million to date, which will be given out to students over the next decade.
According to Meg Flory Riner, Vice President for Institutional Advancement, the Eagle Fund is popular for donors because it is a way that alumni and friends can give to the College at any level. Donors can give as little as $5, and Riner said that even small donations are important.
“It is the power of the collective,” Riner said. “Every small donation adds up and can really make a difference in the lives of our students.”
Riner offered as an example the 2024 Day of Giving, a day-long fundraising effort this spring. The majority of donations collected that day were under $100, but the event raised more than $330,000. Riner was particularly pleased with the number of students who participated in the Day of Giving, noting that involving young people in philanthropy can have benefits for decades to come.
“Once people give, they usually continue to give,” Riner said.
When asked why she thinks donors give to Bridgewater, especially towards programs like the Eagle Fund, Riner said that she believes it is because of the life-changing experiences students have at the College. She said donors want to “pay it forward” and make sure future generations of students can have similar experiences.
Shane Brubaker ’19 is one alumnus who echoes Riner’s sentiments about giving back to Bridgewater. Brubaker and his wife, Crystal Stone Brubaker ’15, both graduated from BC and pursued careers in education. Shane teaches fifth grade at Ware Elementary School in Staunton, Va.; Crystal is a teacher at Turner Ashby High School in Bridgewater. The couple began giving to BC scholarship funds as soon as they were able.
“I really value the education I got at Bridgewater College,” Brubaker said. “I was the first kid in my family to go to college, and I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to go to any college without the financial aid I received from Bridgewater. Now that I am on the other side, I want to continue to invest and give back. I want to make the experience I had possible for other students.”
– Heather S. Cole
