Financial Aid Endowment

The success of the educational program depends on our ability to attract and support talented students from a diversity of backgrounds, not just those who can afford to pay the full cost. Named Endowed Funds for Financial Aid are a top priority.

We seek thoughtful and generous donors who wish to invest in learning by establishing at least forty new scholarships and other named endowed funds for financial aid at a funding level of $50,000 or more per fund.

Some examples of these funds are:

James Baldwin Scholars Endowment

Established in honor of former Five College faculty member James Baldwin to support the James Baldwin Scholars Program, which provides scholarships for talented students from underserved communities. The Baldwin program provides a transition year before college in which to improve general academic skills and prepare for the rigor of the Hampshire experience.

Undocumented Student Scholarship Fund

This pioneering initiative provides upwards of $25,000 of financial aid per year to assist students with undocumented immigrant citizenship status who have been accepted into Hampshire.

Community Scholars Fund for Education

The Community Scholars Fund for Educational Opportunity provides grants for tuition, room, and board at Hampshire College to promising students with the greatest financial need. Priority is given to highly motivated students for whom the opportunity of a Hampshire College education has the greatest potential to be life-transforming because of circumstances of poverty, community deprivation, family hardship, or other significant challenges.

Establishing Named Scholarship Funds

Chair of the Board of Trustees Gaye Hill has offered a matching challenge to establish named scholarship funds. This challenge matches, dollar for dollar, any gift of $25,000 or more to an endowed fund. This includes naming your own scholarship fund.

Emergency Fund for High-Need Students

The Emergency Fund offsets the escalating need for one-time or temporary grants to income-eligible students experiencing a personal or family hardship in need of travel funds, lodging, etc.