New financial aid program making Augustana Possible for students

Augustana Possible, the college’s new financial aid program, is doing exactly what its name suggests. The program enables Augustana to meet 100% of students’ demonstrated financial need. Since being launched two years ago, it has made Augustana accessible to 339 high-achieving students from families with high financial need.

“Augustana Possible is making a difference in the lives of students and making a difference for Augustana,” said Executive Vice President Kent Barnds. “This innovative program is providing excellent students with a transformational liberal arts education. There are many people to thank for the success of this initiative, beginning with Murry Gerber.”

Gerber, a 1975 Augustana alumnus, committed $40 million to increase endowed scholarship support and pledged to match dollar-for-dollar donors who want to join him in keeping Augustana accessible. Through the Gerber Grand Challenge for Philanthropy, Gerber wants students like himself — high-achievers from families with high financial need — to be able to experience the academic and extracurricular opportunities that Augustana offers.

The Gerber Grand Challenge, which funds Augustana Possible, is attracting millions of dollars in donor support, making Augustana possible for students like Diego Vazquez  ’27. The average grant per student to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need is $7,551.

“The Augustana Possible funding was an important reason for my final college decision,” said Vazquez, a biology major from Earlville, Ill. “While it was always at the top of my list, the funding made choosing Augustana that much easier.

“I chose Augustana for the great academics and the ability to play sports. I wanted to go to a smaller school that still provided me with opportunities to be involved in many things while preparing for my career.”

As of June 1, a total of 1,817 gifts in the amount of $17.6 million have been made to support Augustana Possible. Since March 2022, the match money raised/committed through the Gerber Grand Challenge has established 88 new endowed scholarships for qualifying students.

Longtime Augustana supporter Axtell Kramer, a 1962 Augustana alumnus, made a multi-million-dollar gift in memory of his wife, Marie. The Augustana Possible program is important to him because without the scholarships he and Marie received as undergraduates, neither would have been able to attend college.

“Axtell is one of many donors who have taken advantage of the Gerber match and who understand the importance of the doors Augustana Possible opens,” said Vice President for Advancement Jon Enslin. “The generosity of Augustana alumni and supporters is unquestionable. Alumni of this school love this place more than any other school that I know.”