Alumni / Friends

What is an endowment?
How is an endowment established?
List of the endowments

What is an endowment?

An endowment is a gift that is held in perpetuity and invested in a manner that protects the principal from inflation . The investment income provides a stable funding source for such purposes as scholarships, professorships, lecture series and research centers.

Purdue has received and managed hundreds of endowment gifts since its founding. Collectively, these gifts make up the Purdue University Endowment. For investment purposes, the individual endowment gifts are pooled into a single fund. Pooling endowment gifts allows Purdue to achieve greater diversity in its investments, lower its investment costs, and attain the maximum return on donors’ gifts.

The University’s policy establishes endowment distribution that is significant yet stable. Current income and a portion of capital appreciation are distributed semi-annually based on effective market values as of June 30 and December 31. The distributions have varied from four to five percent of the rolling average market value of the total endowment over the last 12 quarters. Using a 12-quarter average protects the amount that is distributed to individual accounts from short-term fluctuations in the market.

Please note, however, the following caveat that applies especially to endowments established during a market downturn: If a funds market value drops below its book value (total gifts to the endowment), so that there is no capital appreciation, state law limits the distribution to dividends and interest income- usually between 1.5 and 2 percent of the 12-quarter average market value.

How is an endowment established?

A minimum of $20,000 will establish an endowment at Purdue to support the Department of Agronomy through any outright giving method using cash, securities or personal and real property. A minimum of $50,000 is required to establish a charitable trust. Endowment agreements, signed by the donor and Purdue delegate to the University the responsibility to administer the funds according to the donor’s wishes in perpetuity.

With respect to the donor’s wishes, Purdue University subscribes to the “Donor Bill of Rights” which can be found at www.purdue.edu/udo For more information on establishing an endowment please call 800-718- 0094.

List of endowments

The following is a list of the endowments that have been graciously established to support the department of Agronomy. We are grateful to all of those that have helped to secure the financial future of this department by contributing to our endowments.

• Marshall Allman Memorial Endowment
  ( Provides support for the crops judging teams. )
• John D. Axtell Memorial Endowment in Plant Breeding and Genetics
  ( Supports graduate students in plant breeding and genetics. )
• Loyal F. “Pete” Bauman Memorial Endowment
  ( Support for graduate students in Corn breeding and genetics. )
• Keller R. Beeson Scholarship
  ( Support for qualified students in Agronomy. )
• The Bradford Family Endowment for Student Activity
  ( Enrichment of the educational experience for undergraduates in Agronomy. )
• Ken and Mary Cohee Scholarship
  ( Support for qualified students in Crop and Soil Science )
• William H. Daniel Fund
  ( Support for scholarships and research in Turfgrass Science )
• Gerald and Joan Gentry Scholarship
  ( Merit scholarship for undergraduate students in Agronomy and Ag Economic )
• Bruce F. Hardy memorial Scholarship
  ( Support for students in Crop Science )
• Arvin R. “Rudy” Hilst Memorial Scholarship
  ( Support for undergraduates in Crop and Soil Science )
• Keim Family Scholarship
  ( Support for students in Plant Breeding and Genetics )
• Helmut and Gerda Kohnke Award in Soil Conservation
  ( Support for students in Soil Sciences )
• Emerson J. Kuhn Scholarship
  ( Support for undergraduates in Agronomy and Animal Sciences )
• Albert A. Off Scholarship
  ( Support for undergraduate students in the Agricultural Sciences )
• F. L. Patterson Visiting Lecturer Fund
  ( To provide honoraria and expenses for invited scientists to present seminars and interact with students and faculty in areas of Agronomic research. )
• M. O. Pence Memorial Scholarship
  ( Support for junior, senior or graduate students in Agronomy )
• F. E. Robbins Scholarship
  ( Support for juniors and seniors in Agronomy )
• George D. Scarseth Memorial Endowment
  ( Support for graduate students in Agronomy to attend professional meetings )
• Max E. Slack Memorial Scholarship
  ( Support for undergraduate students in Turfgrass Science )
• Carol A. Thiele Scholarship
  ( Support for women studying Soil and Water Conservation )