Wright Engineering Access Scholarship Program

The Opportunity


The Wright Engineering Access Scholarship Program is the VCU College of Engineering’s flagship scholarship. It provides needand merit-based awards to a broad base of students. The Wright Engineering Access Scholarship is designed to reach hundreds of students every year and provide resources to help promote the high-value opportunities in engineering and computer science. The scholarship helps attract and retain the best-qualified students, and complements existing programs to help recipients reduce or even eliminate loan indebtedness.

Mr. Wright's Gift


In 2017, longtime benefactor and School of Engineering Foundation Trustee, C. Kenneth Wright, made a magnanimous $5 million gift to establish a scholarship fund for undergraduate students. At that time, VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D., said that the gift will create wonderful opportunities for VCU students, including many first generation and community college transfer students. “Ken Wright is a philanthropist of a lifetime”, Rao said, “and he has provided the VCU College of Engineering a great platform to leverage his generosity.”

As the college works to expand enrollment to help meet Virginia’s workforce development needs, the Wright Engineering Access Scholarship Program will certainly support that goal. Anticipating the program’s powerful impact, the College of Engineering looks forward to celebrating the future accomplishments of these scholarship recipients.

Ken Wright Headshot

Participation


Mr. C. Kenneth Wright has provided the seed money for the College of Engineering’s flagship scholarship program. He has allowed the program to be named in his honor. By enabling the college to spend — rather than endow — his gift, Mr. Wright has allowed the college to provide more scholarship awards than previously possible. For this privilege, the college is committed to raising funds each year to perpetuate the program.

The VCU College of Engineering has designed multiple ways for alumni, friends, corporations, foundations and organizations to be involved and support this special initiative. Gifts may be paid over a multi-year period. Recognition is provided for both current and deferred gifts. Please join us in sustaining and expanding this transformational initiative.

  • Charter Members

    Those who contribute to the program by June 30, 2018.

  • Founders

    Permanent recognition for cumulative giving of $250,000 or more.

  • Sustainers

    Permanent recognition for those who provide sufficient funding to endow one or more scholarships ($150,000 or more).

  • Fellows

    Annual recognition for those who commit to a gift of $7500 per year for four years ($30,000 over four years), essentially a commitment to see a student through to graduation. Fellows will be matched with a specific student for the four-year period.

  • Patrons

    The program invites gifts of all sizes that will be combined in the pool to provide scholarship awards to students. There will be an annual listing of patrons.

Give online now to the Wright Engineering Access Scholarship Program.