Thanking Your Benefactor

Scholarships at Penn State Beaver are sponsored by donors who believe that Beaver students can make a difference in the world.

These donors' gifts help to pay for a student's education, although usually the donor doesn't know the student they're assisting. In return, students owe their benefactors nothing but gratitude.

Beaver scholarship recipients are expected to acknowledge their benefactors with a thank-you note. All donors greatly appreciate hearing from their scholarship recipients and are truly interested in knowing about the student's interests and progress. When donors know their contributions are making a difference in the lives of students, they're encouraged to continue their financial support through ongoing scholarships and awards.

Beaver scholarship recipients will be contacted by the campus Scholarship Committee and will be provided with the name(s) of the donor(s) who have made their scholarship(s) possible. All thank-you letters must be given to Gail Gray, Beaver's student aid coordinator, 113 Student Union Building, 724-773-3803.

Scholarship or award donor information may be obtained by contacting Gail Gray or by contacting Diana Patterson, Beaver campus director of development, 724-773-3558.

Here is a suggested outline of how to write a letter of thanks:

[Date] 

[Donor Address] 

Dear [Donor's Name - Use Dr., Mr., Mrs., Mr. and Mrs., Ms., etc. - Do not use first names.], 

Paragraph 1: Thank your donor for his/her/their generosity in providing you with funds and tell the donor how this scholarship makes a difference in your education. 

Paragraph 2: Tell the donor where you're from, what major you've chosen, and why you chose to attend Beaver campus. 

Paragraph 3: Talk about your plans for the future after graduating.  

Paragraph 4: Thank the donor again. 

Sincerely, 

[Your name and signature]