Austin Family Scholarship Endowment

Leah Austin established The Austin Family Scholarship Endowment to celebrate the lives and honor the memories of her late husband Sam Marion Austin and his two sisters Wauhillau Austin Gale and Malacha Austin Gaddy. The Endowment pays tribute to the three siblings' Choctaw heritage; their love of the state of Oklahoma; and the value their family placed on a higher education. The endowment will be administered by the American Indian College Fund and will be awarded to students from Oklahoma tribes.

Leah Austin got an extra surprise after she established The Austin Family Scholarship Endowment when she learned that her employer, Lumina Foundation (a supporter of the Fund), with the approval of its Board of Directors, decided to contribute an additional $25,000 to the endowment in honor of her impending retirement.

The Austin Family Scholarship Endowment is designed to provide an incentive for tribal college students with financial need who are enrolled in associate degree programs to continue their education. Selected Austin Scholars will be eligible to receive support at tribal colleges, and to receive support to continue toward the baccalaureate degree at either the University of Oklahoma or Southeastern Oklahoma State University.

Austin Scholars will also be included in the American Indian College Fund's well-established “Helping Hands” program, a student support program aimed at increasing retention rates by providing advice and encouragement to students. Helping Hands gives students the opportunity to discuss their progress, including barriers to success.

The first scholarships will be awarded in the fall of 2009.

Click here to contribute to The Austin Family Scholarship Endowment.