Through a $1 million gift from the William L. Graham Trust, two existing WSU scholarships, the William L. Graham Scholarship and the Marjorie L. Graham Scholarship, will become endowed, supporting hundreds of Shockers for years to come.
A native of El Dorado, Kan., Graham owned a real estate business before founding the Graham Oil Co. He became known for supporting young, ambitious businessmen, especially those not given equal opportunities. This legacy of helping others continued at WSU through the two Graham scholarships created through the trust.
"We are honored that the leaders of the William L. Graham Charitable Trust continue to support our mission of enhancing a community of learning excellence for our students by endowing these two very significant scholarships," said Elizabeth King, WSU Foundation president and CEO.
The Marjorie L. Graham Scholarship, established in 2000, supports an average of 40 students each year within the College of Fine Arts who are in junior or senior standing and maintain a 3.0 grade point average.
The William L. Graham Scholarship, established in 1991, is a general scholarship that supports an average of 100 students each year, giving preference to students who are employed part-time and carry a 2.50 grade point average at time of application.