Two Austin College students were awarded 2016-2017 scholarships from the ICUT Foundation and its national partner, the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) earlier this fall.
Senior Alexis Pratt of Dallas, Texas, received the PACCAR Scholarship. The daughter of Tony and Tiffney Pratt, Alexis is completing a major in East Asian languages and cultures and a minor in religious studies. She is considering teaching abroad after graduation.
This year’s UPS Scholarship was awarded to freshman Breana Tucker. She is from Sherman, Texas, and is the daughter of Oscar Kirvin and Amy Tucker. Breana is undecided about her college major and minor. She graduated from Sherman High School where she participated in choir and drill team.
Both the PACCAR and UPS Scholarships benefit students at ICUT institutions with demonstrated financial need, minority students, or first-generation college students. The ICUT Foundation awarded $ 101,400 in UPS Scholarships to 39 low-income students at private institutions across Texas this fall. The PACCAR Scholarship is distributed by the PACCAR Foundation in combination with the ICUT Foundation.
The CIC is an association of nonprofit independent colleges and universities as well as higher education affiliates and organizations that has worked since 1956 to support college and university leadership and enhance public understanding of private higher education’s contributions to society. CIC conducts the largest annual conference of college and of college and university presidents of chief academic officers. CIC also provides support to state associations that organize programs and generate contributions for their member colleges and universities, including the ICUT Foundation. The Council is headquartered at One Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C.
Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 40 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of approximately 1,275 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 13:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.