Giving to Bobcats
The Bobcats to Bobcats (B2B) Scholarship program started in May 2020 as an emergency response to COVID-19. As of July 28, 2021, a total of 626 Texas State students were able to stay in school thanks to this scholarship.
“During this extraordinary year, many students were facing financial hardships due to the pandemic and at risk of not continuing. With the assistance of this scholarship opportunity, returning and incoming students were able to continue with their education during the 2020-2021 academic year,” says Stephanie Lopez, assistant director, Financial Aid and Scholarships.
“Thankfully, additional donations have been raised to award more students who might otherwise not enroll for the upcoming 2021-2022 academic year due to continual financial challenges and recovery from the pandemic. We are excited and grateful to extend this opportunity to students once again.”
B2B scholarships are immediate-use scholarships to assist students. These funds are intended to help students who are experiencing pandemic-related challenges continue with their education. Scholarships of at least $1,000 per student were awarded to those who met the eligibility requirements, were enrolled in a degree-seeking program or post-baccalaureate teacher certificate program for the 2021-2022 academic year and demonstrated need for the funds due to a financial hardship caused by the pandemic.
"The grant was much needed and came at the right time. I had to make sure I had my own computer. Months after purchasing it, I received the funding. Thank you so much!” — Dan Crum, Computer Information Systems senior
"For me, the Bobcats to Bobcats Scholarship was aid that came just in time. It not only supported my studies for my master’s degree but renewed my sense of accomplishment in the midst of a difficult year.” — Chisom Ogoke, Creative Writing graduate student
"The Bobcats to Bobcats scholarship that I received last year was a lifesaver. Not only did I receive the scholarship, I also was able to get a waiver for my out-of-state tuition, which is a huge deal! Thanks to the scholarship I can graduate one semester early as I was able to afford more classes this year at Texas State.” — Ana Jimenez Rivera, Industrial Engineering senior
”The Bobcats to Bobcats Scholarship allowed me to focus on my education by assisting in purchasing my textbooks and with living expenses.” — Kinley Nance, Biology junior
Business 4 Bobcats
Business 4 Bobcats is also an immediate-use scholarship program. It was established in March 2021 to assist students enrolling for the fall semester. “The whole idea was to provide help for our students in a way that would have value to our corporate partners. What they really appreciate is the quality of our students and the diversity of our students,” says Ron Epperson, executive director of Strategic Industry Partnerships. “Being able to have access to great students by providing scholarships — it gives them recognition among our student population, which makes our students more likely to consider them as employers. That’s really how this works.”
While many alumni donated to Bobcats to Bobcats, companies gave too. Epperson says feedback indicated that businesses wanted to help. “We appreciate our corporate partners stepping up to help our students in this time of need,” he says. Businesses had three giving opportunities — $5,000, $10,000, and $25,000 sponsorships. Some businesses chose to remain anonymous. Those that made B4B a reality include NEC America, Marsh Inc., University Credit Unions, and Advanced Micro Devices.
“The pandemic really hit our student body particularly hard because many of them, and their parents, have limited ability to help financially. They depend on jobs, and when jobs went away it created a real need for filling that gap,” Epperson says. ✪
Helping Bobcats
Many things have changed over the last few months, but one constant remains: Bobcats help Bobcats. If you’d like to discuss a gift to support our students, contact Dr. Dan Perry, associate vice president, University Advancement, at (512) 245-4055, or email dperry@txstate.edu.