A boost to business students at Iowa State University will come in the form of scholarships for those studying finance or accounting. I.S.U. College of Business spokesman Dan Ryan says the money’s from an Iowa company with an interest in stemming the “brain drain” of graduates. The Aegon TransAmerica Foundation, a philanthropic arm of Cedar Rapids based Aegon Insurance, has among its 2700 workers a lot of I.S.U. graduates, and is interested in keeping the expertise of the business school and its graduates close to home once they finish school. The company’s scholarship offer continues an ongoing program at I.S.U. It’s a three-year pledge that totals 100-thousand dollars, to provide a fund for scholarships many years into the future. The sponsor aims to create not only well-prepared business graduates, but well-riounded citizens. Obviously, as with most scholarships, they have to have shown academic success, proven in the classroom. But these students also have to show they’ve been involved in their community and taken on leadership roles, something the donors also thought important. From hometown high-school volunteering to student leadership and programs on campus, Ryan says students can find plenty of opportunities to show that social involvement. He says studies repeatedly have shown that a college degree pays big dividends over a lifetime career, and a business degree gives students skills that can apply in virtually any job.
