Earlham College | News from Public Affairs

RICHMOND, Ind. — The satisfied smile might have been a tip-off. Still, it's unlikely that acquaintances passing Earlham Vice President for Institutional Advancement Jim McKey one recent day on campus could have guessed even remotely at the source of his pleasure — that in his pocket he was carrying a million dollars.

It was a check for that handsome amount made out to the College by philanthropists Shelby and Gale Davis. Shelby Davis is the founder and CEO of the money management firm Davis Selected Advisers and a forceful proponent of international education. The gift brings to roughly $2.5 million the total of the couple's donations to Earlham during the past few years and will be used to help support dozens of international students who have found their way to campus through the Davis United World College (UWC) Scholars Program.

Committed to fostering greater understanding among the world's future decision-makers — Americans and the citizens of other nations — the program has provided opportunities for students from 175 countries at secondary-level "colleges" in the U.S., Canada, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Norway, Singapore, Swaziland, the United Kingdom and Venezuela. Six years ago Davis launched a higher education component of the program with five institutions: Colby College, College of the Atlantic, Middlebury College, Princeton University and Wellesley College.

Earlham is one of the most successful of the more than 50 U.S. colleges now involved, "measured simply by the number of students selecting us," McKey says. The College currently hosts 47 UWC Scholars; 18 of them are first-years. Thanks to Davis, each receives at least $10,000 per year in financial assistance.

"You hear a lot today about the 'changing face' of higher education," adds McKey. "Here is a program and an individual that certainly have changed the face of Earlham in a very important way."

Seen here among a group of the Davis Scholars attending Earlham, President Doug Bennett (center) says the recent gift to Earlham by program patron Shelby Davis is another high point in the College's celebration of 50 years of international study. This past summer in Montreal, Bennett accepted on behalf of Earlham the 2006 Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization from NAFSA: Association of International Educators.

"This has really been the engine of it," says McKey, "though not the only part of it." Davis Scholars make up roughly a third of the 147 overseas undergraduates from 61 countries attending Earlham this semester.

"We are pleased to further Earlham's already strong commitment to international education through this gift," says Philip O. Geier, Ph.D., executive director of the Davis UWC Scholars Program. "The Davis Scholars Program is a major investment in outstanding schools like Earlham as well as in the potential of such promising students. We are very dedicated to seeing a truly global experience take place on the campuses of select American colleges and universities."

Earlham is particularly appreciative of the latest Davis benefaction, President Doug Bennett says, coming as it does during the College's celebration of 50 years of off-campus study.

"It's always gratifying to have your mission and your efforts endorsed by others," adds Bennett, who already this year accepted on behalf of the College the 2006 Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization from NAFSA: Association of International Educators. "To have someone do so in such significant terms is especially rewarding. We're very thankful for our good fortune."

According to McKey, in the post-9/11 world, those institutions that "really care" about promoting international understanding have gotten a "huge boost" from the financial support of Mr. Davis.

"I'm confident he believes this is one of the most important things that America can do to get many talented students to attend college, number one, and to have those who are international students gain an understanding of American culture," says McKey. He recently visited UWC-USA in Montezuma, New Mexico, where the head of school is a friend.

"Nearly all of the junior class came to hear about Earlham," reports McKey. "Why? Because they find the atmosphere so welcoming, the academics so challenging, and the experience and training so appealing for what they want to do next.

"Earlham is unusual in the world of higher education in having always provided at least some financial aid to international students. It's a long tradition that we're very proud of and it's heartening to know that because of the Davis gifts and other funds created by donors to provide aid to those students it's a tradition we can continue to honor for a long time to come."

Contact:
Jim McKey, vice president for institutional advancement
765/983-1635 — E-Mail Jim