Under current consideration is a proposal for our participation in a Taiwanese scholarship program, the NTU Endowment Fund. Launched in 2013, its purpose is to provide financial assistance to students from governmentally determined low-income families, in order for them to have the opportunity to attend one of the “World’s Top 50 Universities” National Taiwan University.
It has been observed over the years, that many of the students from the central and southern parts of Taiwan, although academically well qualified, are denied attendance because of the high cost of living in Taipei.
The NTU financial assistance program, in addition to paying for tuition and book fees, provides living support of about US$2,000-$2,500 per year to each qualified, enrolled student. The ultimate goal of the endowment fund is to raise a total of one billion NT$ (just over US $3,300 million). As in the U.S., the annual growth of the fund is conservatively assumed to be 4% and this amount of growth becomes the useable fund for annual program expenditures. Since the principal will remain unchanged, the program will be sustained to the foreseeable future.
This fund aims to eliminate economic disadvantages and level the playing field by subsidizing educational expenses for well qualified students whose attendance at this outstanding university may otherwise be denied. For us, this project represents another opportunity for our financial support to make a significant difference in someone’s life.