Meeting the costs of a private college education is a challenge for most students and families. Without financial assistance, many students are forced to select a college based on cost rather than on academic, programmatic or cultural facets. Avila is steadfast in its commitment to provide a quality, values-based education to all qualified applicants eager to attend because of its academic excellence and commitment to its core values.

This year, Avila awarded over $7,000,000 in scholarships but less than 5% of the total was underwritten by endowed scholarship funds – the remainder was provided through institutional aid. With more than 98% of our students receiving some form of scholarship assistance, your support is critical to ensure accessibility and affordability to everyone!

Avila offers four ways to create a named scholarship:

S.O.L.D. Fund
This special initiative was created in 2007 as part of the University’s annual Steer Dinner. Named after Sister Olive Louise Dallavis, CSJ and president emerita, who is in her 55th year of service to the institution, the S.O.L.D. Fund supports annual scholarships to be awarded the following Fall term. For every $250 or larger donation to the S.O.L.D. Fund, Avila will match the gift and establish a scholarship in your name or the name of a loved one for the following school year.

Memorial/Tribute Gifts
Gifts in memory of a loved one or in tribute to someone who has had an impact on your life are a great way to provide assistance to Avila’s students. Amounts can vary from family to family but these gifts are generally used to support one-time scholarships, with the name of the honored person included in the title. We strongly encourage families to call early so that the proper arrangements and instructions can be shared with everyone involved.

Endowment
With a minimum gift of $20,000, an Avila scholarship endowment provides a perpetual source of financial assistance for current and future students. With the principal (total gifts) of the endowment invested for long-term growth, a 5% dividend (paid from accumulated earnings) of the fund’s three-year average balance is set aside to fund a scholarship each year. Additional earnings are set aside each year to allow the fund, and thus the scholarship award, to grow each year.

To see a complete list of our current scholarship endowments, click here.

Flexible Endowment
A flexible endowment gives the donor the flexibility of creating an endowed scholarship over a five-year period while having the opportunity to actually see the scholarship in action from the beginning. Using the $20,000 minimum for an endowment as an example, the donor pledges $5,000 a year for five years. Out of each payment, $1,000 is used immediately to fund a scholarship in the amount that will be available after the endowment is fully funded. The remaining $4,000 is allocated to the endowment fund and allowed to grow over time. At the end of the pledge period, five scholarships have already been awarded and the endowment is fully funded. Beginning in the sixth year, the 5% dividend from the endowment now funds the scholarship in perpetuity.

For more details on other scholarship options, please contact the University Advancement office.