Granting Geraldine's Wish:

Ball State Will Endow a Scholarship Through Her Gift

The bequest from Geraldine Whitinger, who died July 18, 2002 at age 90, will ensure the continued existence of the Whitinger Scholars Program, according to David Bahlmann, president and chief executive officer of the Ball State University Foundation.

She was the wife of Ralph J. Whitinger, a Muncie philanthropist and founder of the Ball State University Foundation.

"Mrs. Whitinger was a magnificent lady who loved the university and was particularly attached to the students in the program," Bahlmann says. "She enjoyed meeting regularly with them.

"Her bequest will allow us to continue to build a scholarship program that she strongly believed in," he adds. "It was her wish that it continue after her death."

The Whitinger Scholars Program was created in 1976 by Ball State to honor the contributions of Ralph J. Whitinger, '29LLD69. He died in 1982.

The program provides full tuition and housing for up to 12 new students annually from a pool of about 130 applicants. To qualify students must have an outstanding high school academic record, submit a written application, provide two essays, and interview with members of the selection committee.

Since its inception, the scholarship program has been funded by private gifts and unrestricted funds of the foundation. About 300 students have been named Whitinger Scholars since 1976.

James Ruebel, dean of Ball State's Honors College, says the endowment provides the university with new opportunities to attract academically talented students from across the country.

"The Whitinger Scholars Program has made a tremendous difference in the lives of so many students over the years," Ruebel says. "It has given some excellent students the opportunity to continue their education beyond high school.

"It also allows the university to diversify student population by attracting students from across the nation," he says. "For example, a student from California or New York brings a different perspective to the classroom that many students from the Midwest may not have."

The Whitinger gift is the largest estate bequest in university history. In 2001, Ball State received $2.1 million from the estate of Esther Aldredge, '34. Before her death in 1998, she established the Esther (Rinker) Aldredge Student Loan Fund to provide loans to undergraduate students.

by Marc Ransford