University Relations
April 25, 2008 Communique
Scholarship program expands to include Pueblo, Trinidad, Lamar, Otero colleges
The Kane Family Foundation will expand its merit-based college scholarship program, one of the most generous in Colorado, to include students at four southern Colorado community colleges.
Students at Pueblo Community College, Trinidad State Junior College, Otero Junior College and Lamar Community College, will be eligible to become Kane Family Scholars and for scholarships covering tuition, mandatory fees, and books for up to five years. Through the UCCS University Connection program, the students will begin their studies with two years at the four two-year colleges and then will transfer to UCCS to complete bachelor’s degrees.
Previously, only students who enrolled at Pikes Peak Community College or UCCS were eligible for the scholarships, initially announced in January 2006 and first awarded for the Fall 2006 semester.
“These scholarships are based on merit and reward hard work,” Louis Johnson, Kane Family Foundation trustee, said. “Andy and Wanden Kane knew the value of hard work and of education. In their memories, we want to make it possible for young people in southern Colorado to achieve the dream of a college education.”
Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak will host a reception April 29 for the leadership of the two-year colleges and the Kane Family Foundation trustees. Formal agreements for the program will be signed at that event.
“I am told that Mr. and Mrs. Kane believed in independence through education,” Shockley-Zalabak said. “The expansion of this program to include four new community college partners continues their vision of providing high-ability and high-ambition young people the opportunity to succeed.”
Plans call for up to eight scholars to be selected this year, two at each of the four community colleges. Selection will be based on high school academic record, a formal application with essay, and an interview.
Alexander “Andy” Kane died June 3, 2003. Wanden Matthews Kane died Feb. 3, 1991.
Mr. Kane was born in 1918 on the family homestead east of Fountain. Later, he became a business partner to Wanden Matthews La Farge in the purchase of the South Gore Ranch. They later married and built the Kane Family Ranch headquarters near Williams Creek. The Kanes ranched and raised quarter horses for more than 30 years. Mr. Kane was a member of the Cowboys Turtle Association, the predecessor to the Professional Cowboy Association, and participated in many rodeos.
Mrs. Kane was born in New York and moved to the Pikes Peak region in 1940. She was a rancher, investor and educator who spoke seven languages, wrote Arabic and Sanskrit, and traveled the world. She was twice elected as Fountain’s mayor, was named Soroptimist Citizen of the Year, and founded the women’s association for rodeo.