Embracing the Power to Change the World

Sometimes it's not easy to ask for help.

When a student works up the courage to make that call, alumni Art and Charlene Woods want to ensure help is available.

The Pittsburgh area couple recently made an estate commitment that will benefit the African American Alumni Scholarship, which is one of a wide range of scholarships that assisted nearly 1,800 IUP students last year.

Art, a US Steel employee and a member of Phi Beta Sigma, often comes to campus to meet with his fraternity's new members. He believes that college is what students make of it and that engaged experiences are the best experiences.

"We always tried to make things better on campus," he said about his fraternity experience. "And we enjoyed it! I learned at IUP that I can do more."

While Art and Charlene believe students need to know when to ask for help, they also believe some people fail to realize that they have the power to change the world by supporting students through scholarships.

"Sometimes people don't act, because it hasn't occurred to them that they can make a difference," he said. "When a student reaches out for help, we want it to be there."

If you would like to discuss ways to enhance the student experience at IUP through an estate gift to the Foundation for IUP, please contact Indiana University of Pennsylvania at 724-357-5661 or university-advancement@iup.edu.