For college students everywhere, how they will afford a college education is a looming 常被遗弃的问题. While rising costs at universities across the country and the globe have been an issue in recent years, it’s not a new issue.
Approximately 60 years ago, when Bob Hummel attended The Ohio State University, it was not affordable for him, and he needed help to pay his way.
Fortunately, he was given $200 toward his college education from a 家庭 friend. In return for that gift, Hummel was asked to give back in some way when he could do so. The sentiment behind that gift, and its 影响 on his life’s trajectory, was never 迷失在他身上. In 2015, when he sold his Greeley-based company that provided animal health products, he and his wife, Carole, along with their children Rob and Jennifer created the Hummel Family Foundation to fulfill his end of the deal more than five 几十年后.
今天, the Hummel Family Foundation generously supports scholarships at several universities, including the 北科罗拉多大学 (UNC), The Ohio State University, University of Denver, Rockhurst University, University of Missouri, University of Colorado and 科罗拉多州立大学.
One aspect of UNC that sets it apart from the other universities the Hummel Family Foundation supports is it is one of the two universities no one in the 家庭 attended.
“当我们成立家庭基金会的时候 ... for several universities across the country, the first five were universities someone within the 家庭 attended,” said Jennifer 奥森森，鲍勃·哈梅尔的女儿. “Then a couple of years later, we decided to add 还有几所大学. Since we’ve been in Greeley so long, my father’s company was based in Greeley, and my brother and I had grown up in Greeley, we really wanted 包括UNC.”
The reinvestment in Greeley, by providing UNC students with Hummel Family Scholarships, has greatly 影响ed the lives of hundreds of students. 到目前为止，208 UNC Hummel家族 Scholarships have been awarded to students studying nursing, business and education, with 63 students already earning their degrees.
“[Me, my spouse Eric, my brother Rob, his spouse Patty and my mother] always say it’s the most rewarding thing we’ve ever done in our entire lives, and I’ve been blessed with a wonderful life and great experiences,” 说Ostenson.
Central to awarding these scholarships is inspiring the next generation to value the 传递爱的概念.
“We always tell our students: It doesn’t matter how you give or how much you give,” 说Ostenson. “That ‘pay it forward’ message is really important to us and to my 家庭.”
A current Hummel Scholar is Jake Owens, a Colorado local from Aurora who took the 传递它的信息，并与它一起运行.
When it came time to apply for college, Owens knew he wanted to attend UNC. 追求 a degree in Special Education, he could not think of a better place to study than the institution k现在n for its long-standing legacy of nationally recognized teacher 准备项目. 欧文斯是 drawn to special education as a career while still 在高中时. He worked at a coffee shop and played on a soccer team where students with and without intellectual disabilities worked and played side by side. 欧文斯是 inspired by these experiences and decided to pursue a career where he could continue 改变世界.
The positive 影响 Owens hopes to have on the next generation is made possible thanks 感谢哈默尔家族的慷慨.
“I don’t think I could attend UNC without [the Hummel Family Scholarship]. 我很 blessed to have received it,” said Owens. “I was able to do things like [reinstate] the lacrosse team because it allows me not to work all these hours and do school on 最重要的是.” Owens restarted the Men’s Club Lacrosse team at UNC and serves as its president in addition to regularly making the Dean’s Honor Roll. 对欧文斯说， the Hummel Scholarship has reinforced the importance of giving. 不仅如此，他 explains, but it is a privilege to be able to give back and improve the lives of those 你周围的.
“I’ve learned, especially through the scholarship, just how giving back is the ultimate 你能给的礼物. You only have X number of days, so you might as well make it worth 然后尽你所能地慷慨. 给 what you can, and that’s just my time right 现在. I’m happy to give all my time because I was so blessed to receive the Hummel 家庭奖学金，”欧文斯说.
Paying it forward takes many forms — whether funding a scholarship, sharing k现在ledge and professional experience or volunteering time. 正如奥森森所说，事实并非如此 matter how you give or how much you give, all that matters is that you do your best 去帮助你周围的人.
