Indiana University

Skip to:

  1. Search
  2. Breadcrumb Navigation
  3. Content
  4. Browse by Topic
  5. Services & Resources
  6. Additional Resources
  7. Multimedia News

Media Contacts

Abby Englert
Cox Scholars Program
iubcox@indiana.edu
812-855-5779

Steve Hinnefeld
University Communications
slhinnef@indiana.edu
812-856-3488

Last modified: Thursday, February 24, 2011

New Cox Scholarships for working students created at Indiana University

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 24, 2011

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University Bloomington Provost and Executive Vice President Karen Hanson today announced the creation of three new Cox Scholarships, further extending a remarkable legacy of generosity from the late Jesse Cox and his wife, Beulah Chanley Cox.

The new programs -- called Cox Engagement Scholars, Cox Exploratory Scholars and Cox Access Scholars -- are designed for first-year or returning students at IU Bloomington. They bring to five the number of Cox Scholars programs, joining the existing Cox Scholars and Cox Research Scholars programs.

Jesse and Beulah Cox

Beulah and Jesse Cox

Print-Quality Photo

The scholarships reward students who balance work and school in the pursuit of their degrees, just as Jesse Cox did when he attended Indiana University in the 1930s. They provide access for Indiana residents who exhibit diligence within and outside of academics while also demonstrating financial need.

"The extraordinary generosity of Jesse and Beulah Cox is making it possible for many students to earn an Indiana University degree through hard work and dedication," Hanson said. "These new scholarships will extend the impact of their gift to additional students, broadening access to IU and strengthening civic engagement. We are profoundly grateful to the Coxes for their vision and their dedication to the university and to expanding opportunity."

The scholarships cover the full cost of attending IU Bloomington, with the provision that students must earn 25 percent of the cost of attendance, as determined by the Office of Student Financial Assistance, through part-time work, research or community service.

March 1 is the deadline for initiating the application process for the scholarships through the university's Onestart Web portal. More information is available at the IU Bloomington Cox Scholars website.

Cox Scholarships are renewable for up to three years for current students and for up to four years for incoming students. To qualify, students must be Indiana residents and must maintain a grade-point average of 3.0 or better.

"IU Bloomington now has a powerful combination of Cox Scholars programs to assist students who embody the values of hard work, service and academic achievement in making the most of an Indiana University education," said Sonya Stephens, vice provost for undergraduate education. "It is especially gratifying to be able to offer this generous assistance to students who are deeply engaged in service-learning, to exploratory students and to returning adult learners."

"The addition of the Cox Engagement, Exploratory and Access Scholarships to the family of Cox Scholarship programs will greatly impact our ability to enroll academically successful and hard-working Indiana students," added David B. Johnson, vice provost for enrollment management. "These scholarships will provide financial support and opportunities for engagement on campus for students who are committed to completing their degree while gaining valuable experiences through work."

The Cox Scholarship program was created in 2005 with a $15 million contribution from Jesse and Beulah Cox. A later gift from their estate brought the total for the scholarship fund to $92 million, the largest gift ever received for scholarships at Indiana University.

Cox Engagement Scholars

The Cox Engagement Scholarship will allow students with a commitment to service to earn 25 percent of the cost of attendance by working in the local community, through partnerships facilitated by the service-learning program within the Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education.

The scholars will serve as liaisons between service-learning students and local agencies and organizations, in the role of Advocates for Community Engagement (ACEs). Each Cox Engagement Scholar will serve with a specific agency for at least one year, coordinating peers and volunteers and contributing to the daily life of the agency.

ACEs are an integral component of service-learning at IU Bloomington, providing a link between faculty, students, and nonprofits and helping students reflect on the connections between their coursework, service and larger social issues. Cox Engagement Scholars will receive stipends worth 25 percent of the cost of attendance for their work as ACEs.

Cox Exploratory Scholars

The Cox Exploratory Scholarship is designed for incoming students with an undeclared major. The scholars will engage in a program designed to help them explore academic and co-curricular interests, gain exposure to the career development process and gather information about the disciplines and professions that interest them.

The students will earn 25 percent of the cost of attendance by working in on-campus positions which may be in support of the program; for example, as peer mentors, residence assistants or IU ambassadors to Ivy Tech Community College. The scholarships will facilitate the exploration and discovery that is a key part of a college education.

Cox Access Scholars

A small number of Cox Access Scholarships will go each year to returning adult learners who have been out of school for at least five years.

Returning adult students often balance family, work, school responsibilities and financial obligations, making it difficult for them to attend college full-time. They have unique needs, but they also bring unique perspectives to a college campus. Cox Access Scholarships will enable some of those students to make normal progress toward earning their degrees while working to earn 25 percent of the cost of attendance.

In addition to financial support, the Cox Scholars programs enable students to form cohesive groups, focused on mutual support. Scholars take part in special programming to reinforce the Cox legacy, such as a spring service day at Coxhall Gardens in Hamilton County, Ind., and opportunities to hear and understand the life stories and accomplishments of Jesse and Beulah Cox.

Jesse Cox started a transit and mimeograph service while in college at IU Bloomington. Following his graduation, he and Beulah started the J.H. Cox Manufacturing Co., a wholesale venetian blind company. They then purchased a small bankrupt company and started the Aero Blind and Drapery Co., which they turned into the leading window treatment company in the upper Midwest.

After selling this company in 1982, they developed businesses in agriculture and commercial real estate in Monroe, Boone, Hamilton and Putnam counties. Beulah Cox died in 1999 and Jesse Cox died in 2008.

For answers to questions regarding the Cox Scholarship programs at IU Bloomington, contact the Office of Scholarships at 812-855-5779 or iubcox@indiana.edu.

For information about the Cox Scholars at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, contact the campus's Office of Student Scholarships at 317-274-5516 or escholar@iupui.edu.