September 15, 2020
Two East Texas Baptist University students, senior Mylan Shed and junior Taylor Singleton, have been selected to receive scholarships provided by the Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas (ICUT) Foundation and its national partner, the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC).
Mylan Shed, a senior behavioral science major from Teague, Texas, was awarded with funding from the PACCAR Foundation, a private foundation that directs grants to United Way, universities, hospitals, and programs for the arts and education.
“This scholarship is a blessing to me and my family,” Shed said. “I do not take it lightly that I have been awarded this scholarship and take immense pride in being chosen. To see the blessings of God pour out onto my life, I can do nothing else but thank Him and thank those who thought that I was deserving enough to receive this scholarship.”
Since 1985, ICUT Foundation Members have received annual grants from the CIC State Funds Endowment to provide United Parcel Service (UPS) Scholarships to every private college and university in the State Fund network. This year, Taylor Singleton was selected to receive support from the UPS Foundation. Originally from Friendswood, Texas, Singleton is a junior studying biology at East Texas Baptist University.
“I came to ETBU to obtain an education and play college basketball while also furthering my walk with Christ,” Singleton shared. “Receiving this scholarship makes me feel accomplished because my hard work in school is not going unnoticed. This scholarship will help greatly with my books and any other supplementary materials and will provide an extra cushion for this school year. I can focus purely on my education.”
Nationally, CIC, through the CIC/UPS Educational Endowment, provided more than $1.6 million in student scholarships to make private colleges and universities more affordable and accessible to underserved students. This year, the ICUT Foundation awarded $114,000 in CIC/UPS Scholarships to 38 students at private institutions across Texas.
“Each year, these scholarships have a significant impact on the lives of deserving students,” ETBU President J. Blair Blackburn said. “Through our shared mission to provide every student with an affordable opportunity to earn a quality education, students across Texas are being equipped and empowered to pursue their aspirations through private colleges and universities. On behalf of ETBU, I am so thankful that our University is a member institution benefiting from the educational and financial support of PACCAR, UPS, ICUT, and CIC.”
About the Council of Independent Colleges
The Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) is an association of nonprofit independent colleges and universities, as well as state-based councils and other higher education affiliates, that works to support college and university leadership, advance institutional excellence, and enhance public understanding of independent higher education’s contributions to society. CIC is the major national organization that focuses on services to leaders of independent colleges and universities and state-based councils, including the ICUT Foundation. CIC offers conferences, seminars, publications, and other programs and services that help institutions improve educational quality, administrative and financial performance, student outcomes, and institutional visibility. It conducts the largest annual conferences of college and university presidents and of chief academic officers. Founded in 1956, CIC is headquartered at One Dupont Circle in Washington, DC. www.cic.edu
About The UPS Foundation
Established in 1951 and based in Atlanta, Georgia, the UPS Foundation identifies areas where its backing clearly impacts social issues. In support of this strategic approach, the UPS Foundation has identified the following focus areas for giving: volunteerism, diversity, community safety, and the environment. In 2017, UPS and its employees, active and retired, invested more than $118 million in charitable giving around the world. The UPS Foundation can be found on the web at UPS.com/foundation.
About the PACCAR Scholarship Program
In 1951, PACCAR Inc. formed the PACCAR Foundation as a private foundation to direct grants to United Way, universities, hospitals and programs for the arts and education in communities where the company has a significant presence. Early in the 21st century, the PACCAR Foundation began to provide scholarships to students whose institutions ICUT Foundation members. The PACCAR Foundation can be found online at https://www.paccar.com/about-us/paccar-foundation/.