Columbia’s faculty and staff—those who work most closely with students—witness firsthand the financial challenges that can complicate so many educational goals. College adviser J. Wayne Tukes and his colleagues in the Academic Advising offices wanted to do something to help. Beginning with a core group that met over brown-bag lunches, their effort has developed into a fully realized scholarship program.

Their faculty and staff committee, in cooperation with the Office of Institutional Advancement, has established the Columbia College Faculty/Staff Scholarship to assist students in need. This new fundraising initiative provides an opportunity for employees of the college to give to the scholarship fund and see their contributions matched by the college.

“It was a spontaneous, collective response across several departments,” explained Tukes, who serves as chair of the Faulty/Staff Scholarship Committee. “It’s really about giving something back to our college and community. We hope to represent a model not only for Columbia but also the country with the notion of internal giving.”

The college’s major scholarship initiative, Scholarship Columbia, is partnering with the faculty/staff initiative, providing matching funds to maximize fundraising efforts. New and increased gifts from faculty and staff are matched 1 to 1, while new and increased giving by faculty and staff who are also alumni is matched 2 to 1. More information is available at colum.edu/donate