After attending a large high school in Dallas, Texas,
Bonnie Garrigan ’07 wanted to find a small, private college with a close
sense of community that offered a more personal learning environment. She wanted
to go to Hendrix.
But Bonnie’s family did not qualify for federal financial
assistance, and her father, a computer consultant, had been out of work for three
years when it was time for her to go to college.
In 2003, Hendrix received a $3.9 million challenge
grant from the Robert and Ruby Priddy Trust of Wichita Falls, Texas, to establish
a new endowed scholarship program for middle-income families. Alumni and friends
responded enthusiastically to the Priddy Challenge with more than $6 million in
gifts to help Hendrix establish a $10 million endowment for this vitally important
scholarship program.
With the support of a Priddy Scholarship, Bonnie came
to Hendrix. During her four years, she was an active student leader. She helped
start an Ecology House for students who desired an environmentally-conscious lifestyle,
and she co-founded a bee-keeping society. She also served on the campus’ Environmental
Concerns Committee. She graduated in 2007 with an economics degree. Bonnie would
not have been able to attend Hendrix without the financial assistance that she received
from Hendrix and the Priddy Trust.
"The scholarship made a huge difference in my decision
to come to Hendrix," Bonnie said.
Through its support of Hendrix during A Commitment
to National Leadership, the Robert and Ruby Priddy Charitable Trust positioned
Hendrix to meet its goal of providing greater access to higher education for hundreds
of talented and deserving students.
The result of the Priddy Challenge – 1,079 student scholarship awards totaling
$4.16 million have provided transformational educational opportunities and access
to a world of unlimited possibilities.