The University of Minnesota has created an $80,000 scholarship in honor of former President Bill Clinton to benefit two graduate students in the Humphrey School of Public Affairs.
The President Bill Clinton Scholarship for Diversity and Inclusion will pay for two years of tuition, as well as research positions, for two students next fall, said Eric Schwartz, the dean of the school.
The funds were raised during Clinton's June appearance at the university as part of a program marking the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Schwartz said Clinton declined a speaking fee and asked that the proceeds from ticket sales be used for scholarships. "I think it was an extraordinary gesture on his part," he said.
Schwartz said the university raised about $80,000 through ticket sales and donor contributions and decided to name the scholarship after the former president. "In the spirit of the Civil Rights Act, we want to focus it on diversity and inclusion," he said.
When told the news, Clinton "indicated that he would be honored," Schwartz said.
Maura Lerner
