Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Thanks to the generosity of a Wilmington couple, the University of North Carolina Wilmington has a new endowed scholarship to provide an outstanding student with four years of financial aid.

The Jean and Eric Rosenberg Scholarship is the first fully-endowed fund created as part of a new initiative, the UNCW Distinguished Merit Scholarship program, established to help the university attract the best and brightest students. The Rosenbergs – Eric is a physician with Delaney Radiologists, and the couple are co-owners of Fiore Fine Flowers – appreciate the opportunity to create a unique and lasting scholarship at UNCW.

"When I heard a presentation about the Distinguished Merit Scholarship program during a meeting on campus, I thought, 'That's a very good idea.' Our scholarship is not tied to an academic discipline, a county or a state of origin, the way many scholarships are. It is wide open to any high-ability student," said Eric Rosenberg, vice chair of the UNCW Board of Visitors.

A key component of the program encourages donors to make a financial commitment to assist student recipients for four years, from "admission to commencement," according to Eddie Stuart, assistant vice chancellor for university advancement. Investment income from the Rosenberg endowment should produce about $7,500-$8,000 annually, creating a "full ride" scholarship that covers in-state tuition, fees, books and supplies, he said.

Other goals for the UNCW Distinguished Merit Scholarship program are to:
• Increase the number of merit scholarships available, especially for freshmen. UNCW offers merit scholarships to about five percent of its incoming freshmen, while comparable universities present merit awards to an average of 40 percent of their freshmen.
• Establish scholarships without restrictions based on specific academic programs or geographic areas. Instead, the program emphasizes flexible merit scholarships with the potential to help the best and brightest students from all walks of life.
• Provide donors the opportunity to create their own scholarships, as the Rosenbergs did, or contribute to a general fund that supports the program.

For Jean Rosenberg, the scholarship represents an opportunity to invest in the university and its future. "We've been in Wilmington for 26 years, and the university has changed a lot in that time," she said. "The campus is growing. UNCW's reputation is growing. It is such a positive influence in our community. This is a way for us to say, 'We believe in you and what you are doing.'"

The scholarship reflects the Rosenbergs' dedication to helping students achieve their dreams through education, according to Chancellor Rosemary DePaolo.

"UNCW is extremely grateful to Jean and Eric Rosenberg for their generous gift," she said. "When we asked the university's closest friends and volunteers to support this new merit scholarship program, Eric and Jean were the first to respond. Their leadership means so much to UNCW now and even more to the generations of students who will benefit from the Rosenberg Scholarship."

Media contacts:
Dana Fischetti, media relations manager, 910.962.7259 or fischettid@uncw.edu
Eddie Stuart, assistant vice chancellor for university advancement, 910.962.7665 or stuarte@uncw.edu