Office of Student Aid : Scholarships : Thanking Your Scholarship Donor

A Message for Penn State Scholarship Recipients: Saying "Thank You"

Invest time in thanking your scholarship donor.
Your donor has made an investment in you.

You can be proud to be a University scholarship recipient. You exemplify the kind of student Penn State and your particular donor wish to support. Your academic merit, financial needs, special talents, or other unique attributes have qualified you for your University scholarship and connected you to a scholarship donor. University scholarships are a reflection of an individual donor's interests, experiences, and intentions. You and your scholarship donor have more in common than you may think. Take time now to thank your donor by sharing your interests and experiences, as well as expressing your appreciation.

A thank-you note simply says, "thank you"--thank you for your support, thank you for your confidence, thank you for reaffirming dreams. So please say, "thank you," and after you do, tell your donor about your academic plans, your school and community activities, and your career goals. Describe what this scholarship means to you. Previous scholarship recipients have also included other personal information such as:

• Reasons for choosing Penn State,
• Obstacles overcome to attend college,
• An expected graduation date, or
• An initial reaction to receiving the scholarship.

Follow these guidelines:

• Handwrite your note, unless your handwriting is poor.
• Address your donor as Dr., Mr., Mrs., or Ms.
• Mention the scholarship by name in your introduction.
• Sign your name.
• Include your return address on the envelope.

Some donors enjoy continued contact with their recipients, so they may reply to your thank-you note. Some donors may ask you to join them for lunch. And others may just be pleased to know that their money is being well invested, in you. If scholarship donors do contact you, graciously speak with them. Besides paying a portion of your education expenses, donors may also be interested in sharing meaningful experiences, offering valuable advice, or providing access to career opportunities.

Take a moment now to say, "Thank you."