MUNCIE, Ind. -- The Ball State University London Centre Program will benefit from a gift by two retired faculty members and long-time advocates of the program.

The Dr. Morton M. Rosenberg and Linda R. Rosenberg London Centre Scholarship was established in fall 2000.

When fully funded at $25,000, the scholarships will be awarded to students attending Ball State’s London Centre. Preference for student selection will be undergraduate students with a minimum grade point average of 2.75, but not greater than 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

"My wife and I agree that our experience at Ball State has been good to us," said Dr. Rosenberg. "We think so highly of the London Centre Program and Ball State, we established this scholarship as one way to say ‘thank you.’"

Ball State's London Centre Program is more than 25 years old. Close to 1,000 alumni have participated.

Each semester approximately 35-45 students take core and liberal arts courses in London for Ball State credits. The directorship of the program is rotated among Ball State faculty members who also teach courses while there.

"While we work to make our programs as affordable as possible, they still may exclude some students because of expense," said Kirk Robey, associate director of international programs. "These kinds of awards allow opportunities to well-qualified, well-prepared students to encounter other cultures."

Morton Rosenberg, professor emeritus of history, and his wife, Linda Rosenberg, a Ball State alumna and former history department faculty member, have been associated with the London Centre from its beginning stages.

Dr. Rosenberg was the director for the full academic year of 1984-85 and again in 1988-89. He retired from Ball State in 1995 after a 34-year career which included serving as department chairman and chairman of the University Senate. Then, London enticed the couple once again. In fall semester 2000, Dr. Rosenberg returned as director for the third time. Mrs. Rosenberg accompanied him abroad each time.

Mrs. Rosenberg received her bachelor’s degree in speech and theater and her master’s degree in history from Ball State. She was a member of the history department faculty for 20 years.

"While all directors had an assistant, Linda was my principal assistant," said Rosenberg. Linda also taught theatre and British life and culture while in London. Family involvement in the program also included two of the Rosenberg children who were Ball State student participants. The Rosenbergs have five children, three of whom are Ball State graduates.

"I don’t think you’ll find an alumnus of the London Centre who wouldn’t be positive of the program," said Dr. Rosenberg. "I’d encourage other faculty, alumni and other friends of the university to support the areas of the campus which they enjoy."

By Mary G. Barr, Communications Manager

(NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information about endowing scholarships, contact Hudson Akin at (765) 285-8261.)