Having experienced Northwest Missouri State University as students, alumni and faculty, Tim and Jenni Wall say they are fortunate to have gained such a broad perspective of their alma mater.
The couple, who met on campus, recently decided the best way to show their support for Northwest and demonstrate a shared commitment to learning was was to endow The Wall Family Scholarship, which will assist students from diverse backgrounds, through the University’s cultural enrichment scholarship program.
The Walls said they had planned to establish a scholarship later in life, but realized the time was right as they awaited the birth of their daughter Eliana, whose name means "God has answered."
"We are so blessed. We found ourselves at Northwest — as individuals and as a couple — and we wanted to help others pursue their education," said Jenni Wall, an assistant professor of mathematics and statistics at the university. "We’ve had so many opportunities, and we want to give back a little of what we’ve been blessed with in the hope that others can expand their experiences."
The first $400 scholarship from the couple’s fully endowed fund will be awarded for the 2010-11 academic year.
"Not everyone is raised in the loving, education-focused families as Jenni and I were," said Tim Wall, director of educational assessment and an assistant professor of education at Missouri Western State University. "By increasing educational access and opportunities for diverse learners, everyone benefits from a richer Northwest community."
