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Holy Cross and an alumna of the College are creating "The
Holy Cross September 11th Scholarship Fund" to provide
a Holy Cross education to financially needy surviving children
of alumni/ae, firefighters, police and rescue workers killed
or permanently disabled due to terrorist attacks or during
the rescue activities related to those attacks.
The fund is being established by Heidi Brake Smith '82,
and her husband, Scott, in response to the events of Sept.
11, 2001. The Smiths' gift of $100,000 is being matched by
Holy Cross; additional gifts may be made to the College and
designated to the fund. Smith is a member of the College's
Board of Trustees.
"I did not know personally any of the seven Holy Cross
alumni/ae who were killed on Sept. 11, but several of them
left young children, and I believe it's our role to ensure
they will receive an excellent education," says Heidi
Brake Smith. "In addition, I am pleased we'll be able
to extend the opportunity of a Holy Cross education to eligible
children of firefighters, police and rescue workers killed
in terrorist attacks."
Eligible participants will be:
- surviving children of alumni/ae killed as a result of
terrorism;
- surviving children of firefighters, police and rescue
workers who died as a result of terrorist attacks; and,
- (in the event that funds are available after funding
all eligible participants in the first two categories)
surviving children of alumni/ae or their spouses who died
due to violence, accident or illness, leaving their family
in need of assistance.
- Participants must meet Holy Cross admissions standards
and show satisfactory academic progress.
"Many alumni/ae and other members of the Holy Cross
family have expressed a special concern for the children
left behind by the terrible tragedy on Sept. 11, and a desire
to help them," says Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J.,
president of Holy Cross. "This gives them a means of
doing so, in partnership with the College. We want to make
sure that any of those children who want to attend Holy Cross
will have the financial means to come here."
All contributions and the interest accrued (100 percent
of the principal and interest) will go directly to eligible
students. The fund is not an endowment but instead will be
spent down for the intended purposes. The fund will be managed
so as to be viable until at least 2025.
Brake Smith recently became the first alumna in the history
of the College to give a $1.25 million gift.
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