Gift to support $1M scholarship at IU Indianapolis
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
A gift from the co-founder of a Carmel-based biopharmaceutical company has led to the establishment of a $1 million scholarship endowment at the School of Science at IU Indianapolis.
Kent Hawryluk, president, CEO and co-founder of MBX Biosciences, wanted to offer scholarships to freshmen and sophomores pursuing undergraduate degrees in the areas of science, technology, engineering or math who have a financial need, the university said. The Hawryluk Family Scholarship currently supports juniors and seniors in the School of Science.
“Seeing the financial need and the passion of these talented and dedicated students has motivated me to provide tuition support for all four years,” Hawryluk said in a news release. “STEM is central to so much of Indiana’s economic growth. There will be a strong return on investment for these scholarships as the graduates enter the workforce and have a positive impact in our communities.”
To be eligible for the new Simon J. Rhodes Legacy Scholarship, students must be freshmen or sophomores pursuing their first undergraduate degree in the School of Science, show financial need and be in good academic standing. Preference will be given to students who attended high school in the Indianapolis Public Schools district or in Marion County.
“I believe strongly in the School of Science engaging with IPS and Marion County schools to help create undergraduate STEM opportunities for students who otherwise would find them out of reach,” Hawryluk said in the news release. “I see this scholarship as key to enabling promising Indianapolis students with financial needs to pursue their education at IU Indianapolis after successful high school careers.”
The scholarship is named after a former dean of the science school. During his tenure, professor Simon J. Rhodes increased merit- and need-based scholarships for science students and fostered an inclusive environment for underrepresented students, the news release said. He also persuaded Hawryluk to pursue his master’s degree in biology at IU Indianapolis.
Hawryluk founded MBX Biosciences in 2019 with IU chemistry researcher Richard DiMarchi. Earlier this year the company became a publicly traded company on the Nasdaq Stock Market.