The Heritage Scholarship CampaigN

After discovering in the spring of 2015 that the Carnegie Mellon University School of Music offered no undergraduate merit scholarships, three other students and I initiated the “Heritage Scholarship Campaign” in an effort to raise $50,000 to endow the school’s first substantial undergraduate merit scholarship. Many students wouldn’t be at CMU if it wasn’t for financial aid, so we wanted to make sure that future generations of music students could share the same experiences we had without being hindered by the burden of college loans. I personally was invested in the cause because, as a member of the orientation staff and an RA in a first-year housing community, I worked closely with the incoming classes each year. I loved being able to witness the energy and excitement of the new students and didn’t want anyone to miss out on the opportunities that CMU offers for financial reasons.

When we approached the administration of the School of Music with a proposal for the fundraising campaign, they enthusiastically supported the cause. Many of our fellow students in the School of Music joined in the efforts, and together, we spent the next few months spreading the word at concerts and through crowdfunding and social media campaigns. As word spread about the effort centered around the idea of ”students helping students,” the campaign gained media attention from the broader Carnegie Mellon University community and the Pittsburgh Tribune Review newspaper.

The support and generosity we received over the course of the campaign was incredible. Thanks to direct donations from students, faculty, staff, alumni, friends, and family in addition to generous matching gift from both Carnegie Mellon’s president Subra Suresh and the College of Fine Arts, the campaign surpassed the initial $50,000 goal and raised over $170,000 in eight months.

The Heritage Scholarship Fund remains open to receive donations and will continue to grow and allow new students to pursue their passions in music. If you would like to donate to the fund to continue this legacy of giving back to the next generation of young musicians, please visit the CMU School of Music Heritage Scholarship website.