In addition to the UO scholarships, Bernice Staton promised $2 million to fund 20 scholarships per year at Lane Community College.

The gifts are from the Robert W. and Bernice Ingalls Staton Foundation. Staton, who now lives in Idaho Falls, Idaho, and her late husband both grew up in Eugene and attended the University of Oregon. Robert Staton, an insurance executive who died in 1981, graduated from the UO in 1934.

"The Staton family’s generosity will change the lives of hundreds of Oregon students and their families," says UO President Dave Frohnmayer. "These are students who would not be able to even attend college without significant financial aid. This is an extraordinary gift and we are most grateful."

At the UO, letters have already gone out to the Staton scholarship recipients for next year. In each class, freshman through senior, five students have been awarded $10,000 scholarships and 20 have been awarded $4,000 scholarships for next year. The awards, for in-state students only, are renewable for up to four years. The scholarships give preference to students declaring a major in the School of Music, the College of Education or the School of Architecture and Allied Arts.

"I want to help students who absolutely could not go to school without aid," says Staton. "I attended Oregon for only two years because of financial hardship."

At LCC, the gift is one of the two largest donations ever made to the school’s foundation. Fifteen students pursuing two-year degrees have received $5,000 vocational scholarships for next year, and five students who plan to transfer to the UO after two years have received $5,000 collegiate transfer scholarships.

"Lane Community College deeply appreciates the Statons’ generous gift," says LCC President Jerry Moskus. "It’s heartening to have the merits and needs of all students considered, whether they’re seeking professional, technical education or pursuing transfer to a four-year institution."

Staton says she wants to support LCC scholarships because "professional, technical education is important to the betterment of both the individual and the community."

Bernice Staton formed the family foundation with her children–Anne StatonVoilleque of Idaho Falls; Richard Christopher Staton of Kingston, R.I.; and Robert Dennis Staton of Fargo, N.D.

"We are all just thrilled and overwhelmed that Mother wanted to do this," says Voilleque, an artist and jewelry designer. "It’s a wonderful legacy for her and my dad."

The Staton scholarship awards came as a shock to recipients this spring because the scholarships were too new to be listed in admissions materials and there was no specific application process. The awards were based on standard student financial-aid applications.

"I was basically speechless," says Rachel Wierichs, a senior at McKenzie High School in Finn Rock, about learning that she had received a $10,000 scholarship to the UO. "My mom pretty much started crying, my dad was really excited. I feel like I’ve worked so hard for so long and then for some stranger to come out of nowhere and give me that much money to pursue my dream, it means more than anything ever has."

Wierichs plans to major in music to prepare for a career as a singer and voice teacher.

Andrew Porter, a senior at Marshfield High School in Coos Bay, also was stunned by the news.

"I had to read it twice–I didn’t understand exactly what was going on," says Porter, who also received a $10,000 scholarship. "It’s such a relief that I can go to college and not have to stress about how to pay for everything," says Porter, who wants to teach algebra and French in middle school or high school.

Another $10,000 Staton scholarship winner, Shaunna Wild, a senior at Eugene’s Churchill High School, plans to become a kindergarten teacher.

"Now I won’t have to worry about how I’m going to pay for school," she says. "I would have gotten some financial aid but would have had to work and take out loans. Now I’ll be able to focus more on school."

Bernice Ingalls Staton says her family–who are related to descendants of Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the Little House on the Prairie books–moved to Eugene from North Dakota when she was a small child. She met her future husband at a Methodist church youth group meeting in Eugene when both were teenagers. On campus, he belonged to Kappa Sigma fraternity, and she was a Gamma Phi Beta sorority member.

Bernice and Robert Staton left Eugene after college, and his job as a top executive with the American International Group insurance company took them all over the United States and around the world, including countries in the Middle East and Africa.

"It was always dangerous in the Middle East, but I loved it," Bernice Staton says. "All the countries were interesting in different ways. It was a wonderful adventure for us."

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