Dam Proud Day 2024 marked a milestone for Oregon State University’s Honors College, as the fifth annual celebration witnessed an outpouring of generosity. This year, our community once again set a new record for the number of gifts given to the Honors College. One hundred forty-four donors gave in support of student scholarships, well beyond the college’s goal of 100 gifts and last year’s number of 137. Overall, donors gave $52,405, the 19th highest total among the 50 participating units at the university.
“I am amazed once again, but no longer surprised, by the support the Honors College community has shown us,” says Dean Toni Doolen. “Not only did our supporters help us reach our goal, they set an entirely new bar for our sense of what is possible.”
All donations supported Honors College differential tuition and experiential learning scholarships. Differential tuition funds the unique Honors College classes and programming, which currently costs each student $1,500 every year. Over 35% of Honors College students have financial need.
By meeting this year’s total donation goal, the Honors College unlocked over $38,000 in challenge gifts from a range of honors community members:
- Honors College Alumni Challenge, created by Victoria Price, ’15, and Tari Tan, ’08, and Ian McLachlan.
- Honors College Faculty Challenge, created by Joe Hendricks and Hazel Reeves; Dan and Wanda Arp; Kerry Ahearn; Toni, Ph.D. ’01, and Erick Doolen; Kevin Ahern, Ph.D. ’86, and Indira Rajagopal; and Jim and Bonnie Krueger.
- Honors College Parent Challenge, created by Karen Bolin, ’82; Duane, ’77, and Rebecca Coen; Bennet Yee, ’86; Ron Masters, ’83 and Mary Yates, ’68.
“I am so proud of how honors alumni, faculty, staff, families and students came together this year to make this the biggest Dam Proud Day yet for the Honors College,” says Doolen. “This commitment demonstrates why the Honors College has such a strong future ahead of it, and I cannot wait to see what we can do together next year.”
By Kate McHugh, Public Information Representative
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