November 08, 2016
Rachel Librach
Ellie Colpitts
The cost of tuition can be discouraging for many prospective college students.
But scholarships are available at UCCS, including a $40,000 fund set up in honor of three faculty members and a senior scholarship, in its first year of existence, provided by the Kane Family Foundation.
Terrance Boult, El Pomar endowed chair of Innovation and Security, Robert Camley, UCCS BioFrontiers Institute director and physics professor Zbigniew Celinski were recognized for generating $10 million through their research.
With this money, UCCS has established a $40,000 scholarship fund that will go toward tuition for two graduate students for two years.
Beginning September 2017, $10,000 will be awarded to each student per year.
Boult, who joined UCCS in 2003, was honored for hisresearch in computer science and cybersecurity.
“Essentially the university said they would establish some scholarships in our names to support students going into graduate programs. We were completely surprised and pleased to be honored in this way, and we are happy to support our students,” said Boult.
According to Boult, his biggest funders were intelligence agencies, the U.S. Department of Defense and the National Science Foundation.
Boult is working with several students on developing better software to help people who are recovering from trauma, such as domestic violence and post-traumatic stress disorder.
He employs 10 doctoral students and 11 undergraduate students, most of whom are in the Bachelor of Innovation program at UCCS.
He believes research is a great opportunity for students not only to pay bills, but to learn computer skills.
“When I train these undergraduates, I’m trying to give them skills for later in life so that they can become more successful. It helps them build experience, develop leadership experience and management skills, and be very competitive in the workforce as well,” said Boult.
Camley, who aims to understand why reactions take place and how they can be harnessed for a specific purpose, worked with several other scientists to develop a technology currently being used by International Business Machines Corp.
Camley is proud to be financially assisting students through a scholarship funded by his research.
Two seniors were also awarded the Kane Scholarship of $10,000 to help pay education costs for the ‘16-‘17 academic year.
Requirements for this scholarship include full-time enrollment in the College of Business or Engineering, Colorado residency, senior status in their graduate degree program and at least a 3.8 GPA.
The Kane Family Foundation provides scholarships for various schools in southern Colorado. This is the 10th year of the foundation’s presence at UCCS.
The Kane Family Foundation was established in memory of Wanden and Andy Kane, who were both prominent in the rodeo industry.
Wanden was twice elected as the mayor of Fountain. While Andy never received a formal education, his wife graduated from Columbia University and was fluent in seven languages.
“I’ve heard them described as ‘the millionaires next door,’” said scholarship programs associate director Jennifer Fisher. “You wouldn’t have known that they were wealthy, they were very subtle with their lifestyle.”
The couple believed in the power of education to create lifelong independence, and their vision is continued through the foundation’s scholarships.
“The story of the Kane Family Foundation is very fascinating and interesting, they were genuinely caring people with an epic love story,” said Fisher.
Information on available scholarships, including deadlines and eligibility, can be found on the UCCS website.