Alumni donations benefit Disability Services funds

The IU Office of Disability Services for Students recently received two donations totaling more than $500,000 for scholarship money.

The estate of Peggy McIntire Graves made one of the donations, which will supplement funding to the Clarence R. McIntire and Peggy Thomas McIntire Scholarship Fund for Physically Handicapped Students.

The estate of Anne Gurecki made the second donation, which will provide scholarships to students with speech, language and hearing impairments.

The McIntire donation was made in memory of Graves’ late husband Clarence McIntire, who received support from IU for a physical disability when he attended in the early 1940s.

The Gurecki donation was made in memory of Anne Gurecki’s late daughter Rebecca, who studied education and speech and hearing sciences at the University and graduated in 1971.

DSS provides students with resources including referrals, peer mentors and classroom
accommodations.

“If students have a documented disability, they should really register with the office,” David Spencer, director of development for the Dean of Students, said.

“Even if they don’t use the services, they can be eligible for the scholarships.”

Interim DSS director Shirley Stumpner and the DSS scholarship committee will select students to receive the funding, Spencer said.

The amount will also likely be based on the number of students who apply and the recipients’ needs.

“We’re very grateful to have support, and I think that that support is due in large part to the good work that goes on at Disability Services,” Spencer said.

All scholarships given by DSS are funded by similar donations. 

“Within a 12-month period, we would anticipate having around $20,000 in scholarship awards,” Melissa Ritter, fiscal officer with the Division of Student Affairs, said.

Information about scholarships is sent out to registered students through the DSS email lists.

Interim director of DSS Shirley Stumpner said she feels scholarships given out by DSS help encourage student empowerment and diversity at IU.

“We want to support them to meet their individual goals,” Stumpner said.
“Scholarships do this in more than just money. They help to recognize accomplishments.”

She stressed the scholarships at DSS are competitive.

“It’s an opportunity to define people based on achievements rather than disabilities,”  said.