Ligia Cravo, MSW, senior program officer with the William Randolph Hearst Foundations, met with university students, faculty and administrators on April 1 in an effort to evaluate Elon for an expansion of the Hearst Scholars program in the School of Communications.
Hearst established the scholarship in October 2001 to support students from communities typically under-represented in media and communications-related majors. The Foundation is considering doubling the endowment.
Her first visit to campus, Ms. Cravo met with some of the students supported by her philanthropy, toured facilities in the School of Communications, and held executive briefings with President Lambert and members of his staff, including Paul Parsons, Dean, School of Communications; Connie Book, Associate Dean, School of Communications, and Faculty Administrative Fellow supporting the university’s strategic planning; Susan Klopman, Vice President of Admissions and Financial Planning; Pat Murphy, Director of Financial Planning; Jim Piatt, Vice President for University Advancement; Larry Vellani, Director, Corporate and Foundation Relations; Jana Lynn Patterson, Assistant Vice President for Student Life and Associate Dean of Students; and Leon Williams, Director, Multicultural Center.
Ms. Cravo commented in particular on the quality of the student media work that she reviewed with Dean Parsons and Jay McMerty, coordinator of video projects in the School of Communications.
The Hearst Foundations are national philanthropic resources for organizations and institutions working in the fields of education, health, culture and social services to ensure that people of all backgrounds have the opportunity to build healthy, productive and inspiring lives.
The Hearst Foundation, Inc. was founded in 1945 by publisher/philanthropist William Randolph Hearst. In 1948, Mr. Hearst established the California Charities Foundation, renamed the William Randolph Hearst Foundation in 1951. The charitable goals of the Foundations reflect the philanthropic interests of William Randolph Hearst in the fields of education, health, culture and social service. The Foundations are national private philanthropies operating independently from The Hearst Corporation.