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August 2007
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ALUMNI NEWS |
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AU Legacy Continues with New Scholarship Recipient The Class of 2011 is due to arrive on campus in just a couple of weeks and the AU Alumni Association is particularly pleased to welcome Andrew Sides, the latest recipient of the Alumni Legacy Scholarship. Awarded every other year to a student with at least one AU alum in his or her family, the legacy scholarship honors the tradition of an AU education passed down through the generations. Each scholarship recipient, who must also have demonstrated academic excellence, leadership, and community involvement in high school, receives $5,000 per year for four years. The recipient is chosen by the AU Alumni Board with funds for the scholarship coming from the Alumni Audit program, in which alumni can audit one nontutorial course per semester for just $100. Of the $100 program fee, $75 is contributed to the Alumni Legacy Scholarship fund. Sides garners his legacy status from his grandmother, Virginia Schumacher Ruff, CAS/BA '72. He admits that his grandmother’s recommendation initially convinced him to look at AU, but claims that his visit to the university really cemented his desire to attend. “The tour is what captivated me. I fell in love with the campus and the atmosphere. American wasn’t the only school I visited, but it was the one that stuck with me. When application time came around, I knew I wanted to go to American.” His parents, Linda Schumacher and Mark Sides, confirm Andy’s “love at first sight” reaction to the university: “After his first visit – and we went to several schools – he never really considered any other university.” As a high school student in Clayton, Mo., Sides balanced a challenging academic curriculum with a strong commitment to community service and leadership roles as a student ambassador and Eagle Scout. While Sides currently plans to study biology at AU, he’s keeping his options open. “I’m going to take a wide range of courses to see if there are any other majors I might be interested in. Everything looks incredibly interesting and thought-inspiring.” He is also excited about the opportunity to meet new and different people. “AU is so diverse; it will give me the chance to discover many other cultures and to share mine as well.” As excited as he is to attend AU, the substantial financial costs of attending a first class, private university can be a little daunting. The legacy scholarship will certainly provide some extra help. “Andy is taking on the responsibility of paying for much of his education himself,” his parents say. “This award is appreciated more than you know.” Sides feels a great deal of pride at receiving the award and couldn't wait to share the news with his grandmother. “When I informed my grandmother of the scholarship, she was both surprised and honored.” -Tara Sherwin | |||
