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DELAWARE, Ohio – President Matt vandenBerg announced today that Kathrine Trine Grissom of Louisville has made an estate commitment of $12 million to Ohio Wesleyan University to support first-generation college students.
A 1992 Ohio Wesleyan graduate, Grissom said she is grateful to Ohio Wesleyan for the support she received as a student. Grissom recalls her professor of Italian, Dr. Penny Popper, who worked with her every day during office hours and was the first person to detect a learning disability. After a formal diagnosis, Grissom saw her grades improve from C's to straight A's.
"I believe I would have fallen through the cracks at any other school," Grissom said. "I want to give back to Ohio Wesleyan because OWU took a chance on me."
Grissom's estate gift honors her mother, Mary Ellen Grissom, who died in a car accident when Grissom was 8 months old. Mary Ellen had put her own education on hold to support Kathrine's father through his undergraduate and law school education.
This act of love and selflessness inspired Grissom to create The Mary Ellen Grissom Endowed Fund to give first-generation college students the opportunity to pursue their bachelor's degrees without the financial concerns that often accompany higher education.
Grissom's commitment also honors her uncle, Tom Grissom, who graduated from Ohio Wesleyan in 1962.
"The decision to leave my estate to OWU did not happen overnight," Grissom said. "The process entailed getting to know our new fearless and innovative leader, President Matt vandenBerg. It took understanding the direction of the university and Matt's vision, but most important to me is the investment and advancement OWU has made in first-generation college students. If you look at the statistics, we are blowing by other academic establishments where first-gen is concerned. The advancement office has been truly wonderful in helping me make this happen for my beloved alma mater and for future first-gen students."
"I am profoundly grateful to Trine for her generosity, and our entire community draws inspiration from her bold ambition for OWU to serve students in transformative fashion," said vandenBerg, Ed.D. "Trine has tremendous insight and compassion, along with the vision and courage to turn vision into reality. We are fortunate for her leadership in Ohio Wesleyan's rebellion for a fresh, dynamic, and innovative delivery of the liberal arts."
One of every five Ohio Wesleyan students is the first in their family to attend college. Thirty-eight percent of the Class of 2028 are first-generation college students. In addition to scholarship aid, Grissom's estate gift will provide comprehensive support for first-generation students including room and board and other expenses such as laptops, transportation costs, and medical bills.
"Ohio Wesleyan is a premier destination for first-generation college students," said vandenBerg. "We have teams of faculty, staff, alumni, and donors who are deeply committed to empowering first-gen students and giving them a space where they find belonging. Trine's gift is transformational. Her generosity builds upon the thoughtful support of several other seven-figure gifts to OWU in recent years. What started as a splash has surged into a tidal wave of support for first-gen students at Ohio Wesleyan."
Ohio Wesleyan is one of 76 colleges and universities nationwide selected by the national Center for First-generation Student Success for membership in the 2023-2024 First Scholars Network, created to help first-generation college students thrive and persist to graduation. OWU is one of only 349 colleges and universities in the group overall.
Learn more about being a first-generation student at Ohio Wesleyan at owu.edu/FirstGen and more about supporting OWU at owu.edu/give.
Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation's premier liberal arts universities. Located in Delaware, Ohio, the private university offers more than 70 undergraduate majors and competes in 24 NCAA Division III varsity sports. Through its signature experience, the OWU Connection, Ohio Wesleyan teaches students to understand issues from multiple academic perspectives, volunteer in service to others, build a diverse and global perspective, and translate classroom knowledge into real-world experience through internships, research, and other hands-on learning. Ohio Wesleyan is featured in the book "Colleges That Change Lives" and included on the U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review "Best Colleges" lists. Connect with OWU expert interview sources at owu.edu/experts or learn more at owu.edu.