Walter Scott Jr. believed the most important thing a society could do was to invest in the next generation. He also was deeply committed to his hometown of Omaha. To carry on his legacy, the Suzanne & Walter Scott Foundation has committed more than $23 million to the Walter Scott Jr. Scholarship Program, Scott Scholars.
The generous gift will sustain and grow the prestigious program at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, where it was first established by the late Omaha philanthropist in 1997. The gift also will support the expansion of the Scott Scholars Program at UNMC, where an inaugural class of 12 Scott Scholars began their first year of medical school in fall 2023.
At UNO, a $20 million pledge will allow more students to enroll in the highly competitive Scott Scholars Program, expanding capacity from a total of 128 students to 168 students. A $3 million pledge will support the program’s expansion at UNMC.
“We are pleased to expand our investment in students through the Scott Scholars Program,” said Calvin Sisson, president and CEO of the Suzanne & Walter Scott Foundation. “The enhanced program aligns perfectly with our mission to support Mr. Scott’s vision and interests by investing in education, developing leaders and advancing communities. Walter cared deeply about investing in Nebraska’s best and brightest students, not because they deserve it, but because they have the greatest potential to give back.”
The gifts from the Suzanne & Walter Scott Foundation were made through the University of Nebraska Foundation as part of “Only in Nebraska: A Campaign for Our University’s Future.” The campaign is a historic effort to engage at least 150,000 benefactors to give $3 billion to support University of Nebraska students, faculty, academic and clinical programs and research to address the needs of the state. Scholarships are a top priority of the campaign, with a particular focus on critical areas of need, including health care, engineering and information technology.
“It has been an amazing opportunity to work directly with Mr. Scott and his colleagues to plan and now implement the UNMC health professions program for the Scott Scholars,” said Jeffrey P. Gold, MD, UNMC chancellor. “The potential for this program is best exemplified by the success of the students who completed the undergraduate program and now are enrolled at UNMC.
“This program will continue to have a tremendous impact on the amazing careers of caring that future generations of leaders will pursue.”
UNMC College of Medicine, Scott Scholars
The Suzanne & Walter Scott Foundation established the Scott Scholars Program in the UNMC College of Medicine to prepare high-achieving students to serve as health care professionals. The program is designed to leverage students’ growing health sciences expertise to solve health-related challenges in the community and in clinical settings, as well as in critically important life sciences research.
In fall 2023, an inaugural class of students enrolled in the Scott Scholars Program in the UNMC College of Medicine after the Suzanne & Walter Scott Foundation made a pledge of more than $1.7 million to launch the pilot program. The foundation subsequently increased its commitment to more than $3 million, supporting a second 12-member cohort for the fall of 2024. Foundation leaders have expressed an interest in expanding the UNMC program to other health sciences academic colleges in the future.
UNMC provides in-state tuition, and the Scott Scholars Program covers room and board and a stipend to fund professional and research opportunities for four years for UNMC medical students. Scholars live together in a living-learning community within an apartment complex near the UNMC campus. Students participate in unique experiential learning opportunities at UNMC and across the nation.
The UNMC Scott Scholars Program is open to students from around the country. Three medical students currently in the UNMC inaugural class graduated from the UNO Scott Scholars Program. It’s also anticipated that students graduating with pre-health bachelor’s degrees from the four other Scott Scholars Programs across the country will become future UNMC Scott Scholars.
UNO, Scott Scholars
Walter Scott’s vision in establishing the Scott Scholars Program was to challenge high-achieving STEM students from Nebraska to develop their technical skills. Initially limited to engineering and information technology, the Scott Scholars Program was broadened in 2017 to include all the STEM disciplines and add a new focus on leadership development.
The $20 million pledge from the Suzanne & Walter Scott Foundation will support the Scott Scholars Program for the next five years, through the 2028-29 academic year. The gift also expands the program from a class size of 32 students to 42 students a year.
Since it began, an estimated 600 Scott Scholars have graduated, with more than 80% choosing to stay in Nebraska after graduation to pursue their careers. The average annual salary for 2023 graduating Scott Scholars was $78,000.
Selected students can choose from among numerous STEM-based academic programs, including engineering, computer science, IT innovation, math and economics, as well as multiple pre-health degrees. Half the students in the most recent class expressed an interest in health sciences, which was an impetus for the expansion of the Scott Scholars Program to UNMC.
I was a Scott Scholar in the early 2000s. I greatly appreciate the Scott Family’s generosity, past and present.
Grateful for Suzanne & Walter Scott Foundation. Their commitment to educate future generations is extraordinary and awe-inspiring.