Former President Steven Bahls and wife Jane Bahls recently introduced the Nelly Cheboi Scholarship, created to assist international students with financial need who demonstrate positive determination, have big aspirations and “think like Nelly,” according to Bahls.

The Bahls family has committed $50,000 to the creation of this scholarship which will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the Murry Gerber Challenge that was introduced at the end of last school year. This brings the total donation to $100,000. 

The Gerber challenge came after Augustana alum Murry Gerber pledged $40 million to provide financial aid and scholarships. The scholarships will go to high achieving students from low income households by committing to match endowment gifts, which will bring in an additional $80 million to Augustana endowments.

This scholarship is dedicated to the honor of Nelly Cheboi, an international student from Mogotio, Kenya, and an Augustana graduate of 2016. Cheboi was named CNN’s “Hero of The Year” as well as an Elevate prize winner, an award given for social impact leaders who make transformative change this past December for her work in recycling computers to create computer labs in rural Kenya. By her junior year at Augustana college, she had already built her own school in her hometown, which has now expanded to multiple different schools across her country. 

But to the Bahls, Cheboi is not only an extraordinary person, she is a member of their family. 

“We not only had our connection through Augustana, but we also had our connection through our church, which helped to sponsor Nelly’s room and board,” Jane Bahls said. “That is how we originally met her.” 

Since then, Nelly and the Bahls have only grown closer. 

“We’ve celebrated holidays together, gone on vacations together and most importantly we have supported her as if she was one of our own,” Jane Bahls said. 

Jane Bahls said she was so inspired by Cheboi’s story from the moment they met because of the adversity she had to overcome, and this scholarship in her honor helps to show that. 

“We want to encourage more bright, entrepreneurial international students, like Nelly, who may not have the chance of receiving an education without this kind of aid,” Jane Bahls said. “We firmly believe that education matters, especially an Augustana education.” 

Once this scholarship is more firmly established it will help to aid international students from all backgrounds who qualify.

Because it is an endowment scholarship, it will be awarded through the financial aid office rather than an application process. 

“There won’t be an application process for this award, rather when a student fits the criteria the financial aid office will just add it to their financial aid packet,” Brinton Vincent, the director of donor engagement and stewardship within the advancement office, said. 

However, this endowment isn’t fully ready to roll out quite yet, and the criteria has yet to be released.

“It still needs some time to grow and earn interest until it is at the threshold to award. It won’t be made available for students for at least another academic year,” Vincent said. “The money will be invested in order to help it grow through things such as stock markets, and then once that is done, the college will have the Nelly Cheboi scholarship forever.” 

Once the endowment has reached the threshold to award, it will most likely be awarded at $1,000 a year to start with and it has the potential to eventually grow to a larger award each year according to Vincent.

President Emeritus Bahls said that ultimately, he hopes the creation of this scholarship inspires others to develop scholarships of their own or to contribute to the Nelly Cheboi Scholarship. 

“If one wants to honor Nelly and support international students, there is no better way to do so than by contributing to the scholarship so that it can benefit more international students for years and years to come,” Steve Bahls said.

The advancement office is always eager to accept donations to scholarships and endowments. 

“Donations make the process of growing funds for these kinds of endowments quicker,” Vincent said. “If anybody would like to make a gift to the scholarship, big or small, they can do so online through the typical giving form specifying the donation go to the Nelly Cheboi Scholarship in the ‘Other’ category on the form.” 

To learn more about Nelly’s program, Tech Lit Africa, click here

To give a donation through the Augustana giving form, click here