Jewish Federation awards $421,045 in academic scholarships

Funds for scholarships come from the Marcus & Theresa Levie Educational Fund, Charles and Geraldine S. Aaron, Judith L. and Robert D. Appelbaum, Gertrude and Harry G. Fins, Janet and Samuel A. Goldsmith, Gillian and Ellis Goodman, Stanley N. Gore, Marsha Davis , Marvin S. Corwin, Aaron J. and Jennie Millner, Phi Delta Epsilon, Katherine J. Horwich, Adele Kagan, Norman Lettvin, Irving H. Nathan, Avner & Joan Porat Scholarship Fund, Michael Reese Women’s Board, Sidney L. Starkman, Channie Studnitzer Memorial and Maurice Yonover Scholarship Funds, the David C. and Sarajean Ruttenberg Scholarship Fund in the Arts and the Everett Kovler Scholars Program.

For all but the Kovler Scholars Program, in keeping with the terms established by the donors, applicants must be full-time Jewish students, preferably at the graduate level, but at least entering the junior year at an accredited university. Applicants must be legal residents in Cook County or the Chicago metropolitan area, except for the Yonover Fund, which is also available to residents of Northwest Indiana.

Through the generosity of the Kovler Family, The Kovler Scholar Program, established through Federation’s The Centennial Program, provides scholarships to needy undergraduate Jewish students, who meet the criteria established by the family, for the four years of their undergraduate education that will assist them in achieving their academic goals. Two Everett Kovler scholarships ($10,000 each) are awarded to high school seniors beginning college in the fall of the academic year who are legally domiciled/born and raised in the Chicago metropolitan area and who have a large financial need and excel academically. Preference is given to applicants indicating an interest in a career in either math or business and, to a lesser extent, first-generation Americans. Assuming the students chosen maintain appropriate grade point averages and progress in their chosen field, additional scholarships of $10,000 each will be provided for each year of their college education. The first two Kovler scholars were selected for the fall of 2006 and there are currently eight students receiving the scholarship for a total of $80,000 being awarded for 2014-15.

For 2014-15, the Levie Educational Fund will provide $150,110 in scholarship grants to 40 students in a variety of helping professions. The Levie Fund was developed by the late Leo J. Carlin, attorney for two Levie brothers and a sister. He suggested establishing the fund in memory of their parents. The Levie Fund, which became operational in 1959, is the largest and oldest of the scholarship funds.

The Maurice Yonover Scholarship Fund was made available through a generous contribution to the Federation’s Continuum Program by the late Mrs. Maurice Yonover in memory of her husband. Yonover awardees are preferably residents of northwest Indiana or the Chicago southern suburbs. For 2014-15 scholarship recipients will receive a total of $10,105.

The late Charles Aaron established his fund on his 85th birthday. $10,210 was awarded from the Aaron Fund.

The Horwich Fund was established by the late Theodore and Gertrude Horwich in memory of their daughter, Katherine. The fund awarded $13,080 for this academic year.

The Gore Fund was established by the late Jerome and Shirley Gore in memory of their son, Stanley. The Gore scholarship recipients were awarded a total of $2,840.

The Gertrude and Harry G. Fins Scholarship Fund was established by the late Gertrude Fins in memory of her late husband, Harry G. Fins, a distinguished appellate lawyer, legal scholar and writer, to assist Jewish law students attending one of the following schools: DePaul, Loyola, IIT/Kent, John Marshall, Southern Illinois University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The recipients of Fins scholarships were awarded a total of $3,670.

The Adele Kagan Scholarship Fund, established in 1992, awarded $6,760 to Jewish students from the metropolitan Chicago area pursuing higher education in mathematics, engineering and other sciences.

The Samuel Goldsmith Fund was established in the memory of Samuel Goldsmith, a former chief professional officer of Federation, and is directed towards students preparing for a career in Jewish communal service. The 2014-15 Goldsmith scholarship recipients will receive awards totaling $6,880.

Judith and Robert Appelbaum established their Scholarship Fund to provide scholarships for Jewish college students from the Chicago metropolitan area with strong academic credentials who are pursuing a degree in the helping professions. Those in undergraduate professional programs must be entering or have entered their junior year. For the current academic year, $1,250 was awarded.

The Gillian and Ellis Goodman Fund, made available through the Goodman’s generous contribution to the Federation’s Continuum Program, supports students pursuing careers in engineering and environmental science. The 2014-15 Goodman scholarship recipients will receive awards totaling $10,240.

The Michael Reese Women’s Board Scholarship Fund is available to Jewish women who are enrolled in a medical school accredited by the American Medical Association and who have completed at least one year of their program. The Reese Women’s Board recipients will receive awards totaling $18,280.

The Sidney L. Starkman Scholarship Fund was established through the late Mr. Starkman’s trust to assist Jewish students pursuing their college education. If an undergraduate, they must be entering or have entered their junior year. $23,590 was awarded to Starkman scholarship recipients.

Gordon H. and Karen M. Millner Family Foundation established the Aaron J. and Jennie Millner Scholarship Fund to honor the memory of Mr. Millner’s parents, by providing funds for undergraduate Jewish students living in the Chicago metropolitan area who are currently attending the University of Illinois in Champaign and who have completed at least their freshman year. A total of $11,320 was awarded to Millner scholarship recipients.

The Phi Delta Epsilon Foundation of Chicago was established many years ago to help medical students at Chicago area medical schools. For 2014-15, $2,915 was awarded.

The Channie Studnitzer Memorial Scholarship was established in memory of Channie Studnitzer by her son and his wife, Ari and Staci Studnitzer. $2,500 was awarded to students who have experienced the loss of a parent.

The Marsha Davis Scholarship Fund provides support to Jewish students from the metropolitan Chicago area who have established a specific career goal in the helping professions. A total of $9,310 was awarded for 2014-15.

The David C. and Sarajean W. Ruttenberg Scholarship Fund in the Arts was made available through the generous contribution of the late Mrs. Ruttenberg to Federation’s Centennial/Continuum Campaign program, to memorialize her husband. For 2014-15, $21,510 was awarded.

The Norman Lettvin Academic Scholarship Fund was established through Federation’s Centennial/Continuum program, in memory of Norman Lettvin, by his dear friends Harold and Elaine Shames and Sidney and Betty Shames. $775 was awarded this academic year.

The Avner & Joan Porat Scholarship Fund was also recently established through Federation’s Centennial/Continuum Program to provide funds for Chicago area Jewish students majoring in the sciences, engineering, mathematics or medicine. A total of $8,500 was awarded for 2014-15.

Each year, scholarship recipients convey the importance of the grants they have received, both financially and emotionally. One student expressed that “this scholarship will lower my financial load and allow me to dedicate a greater amount of time to my studies.” Another stated that she “plans to honor the donation by pursuing my career to the fullest extent” and hopes to be able to give the same gift in the future.