September 23, 2021
Two East Texas Baptist University students, junior Haleigh Akin and senior Anissa Mott, 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).
Haleigh Akin, a senior elementary education major from Tyler, 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 means a lot to me and my family because it will greatly help me be able to continue pursuing my degree in Early Childhood Education,” Akin said. “I am very grateful that I was chosen, having this scholarship will allow me to be more involved in my responsibilities and commitments to the organizations I am involved in on campus, as well as my studies. My education is very important to me not only to one day be successful in a career I enjoy, but also to deepen my knowledge and understanding of how to educate and instruct those around me with compassion and encouragement.”
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, Anissa Mott was selected to receive support from the UPS Foundation. Originally from Celeste, Texas, Mott is a senior studying music education at East Texas Baptist University.
“I’m incredibly honored to be chosen as a recipient of the ICUT scholarship,” Mott said. “This scholarship shows me that I am being supported in many ways. It not only shows the financial support that ETBU is willing to provide, but also the level that this university believes in my dream. I chose to attend ETBU because so many students, faculty, and staff want to see me reach my goals and succeed. So many people are rooting for me in my life that I cannot take this opportunity for granted.”
Nationally, CIC, through the CIC/UPS Educational Endowment, provided more than $2 million in student scholarships to make private colleges and universities more affordable and accessible to underserved students.
“On behalf of East Texas Baptist University, I am so thankful that our University is a member institution benefiting from the educational and financial support of PACCAR, UPS, ICUT, and CIC,” ETBU President J. Blair Blackburn said. “Each year, these scholarships have a significant impact on the lives of deserving students. 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.”
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/.