Two new scholarships for students seeking degrees in nursing or an allied health field will be offered at Newman University thanks to the generosity of longtime Wichita resident, businesswoman and philanthropist Marjorie Chance.
The Marjorie Chance Scholarship in Nursing will be awarded to selected students beginning in the fall 2011 semester. The Marjorie Chance Endowed Nursing and/or Allied Health Scholarship will be awarded as early as the fall 2012 semester.
Under the Marjorie Chance Scholarship in Nursing, three students in nursing or allied health programs offered at Newman can receive a scholarship of $4,500 per year for three years. The Marjorie Chance Endowed Nursing and/or Allied Health Scholarship will provide an award of $15,000 per year that can be divided by as many as three students each year.
“We are very grateful to Mrs. Chance for this wonderful gift,” said Tom Borrego, Newman vice president for Institutional Advancement. “These scholarships will bring significant financial assistance to students who are seeking to earn degrees in the nursing and allied health areas, which are in crucial need of talented and skilled professionals.”
Marjorie “Marj” Chance graduated from St. Francis Hospital’s School of Nursing as a registered nurse, but spent most of her working career helping operate the amusement ride manufacturing company founded by her late husband Harold, Chance Manufacturing Co., Inc. She was actively involved in the business, which at one point was the largest manufacturer of amusement rides in America, and often served as hostess or company representative for industry trade shows, conventions and conferences. She also was involved in the company’s international business activities.
Chance also served on several local boards and charitable organizations. She was the first lay woman to serve on the Board of Directors of Kansas Newman College (now Newman University), and was a member of the Lay Advisory Board of St. Francis Hospital (now part of the Via Christi system). When the nursing program at St. Francis needed a collegiate home, Chance played a key role in connecting St. Francis with Newman and establishing the nursing program at the university. From that beginning in 1979, the Newman School of Nursing and Allied Health has become strong and vibrant, and includes some of the university’s most sought-after programs, including Nursing, Healthcare Science, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Radiologic Technology, Respiratory Care, Sonography and Sports Medicine. The university’s master’s degree program in Nurse Anesthesia has many more applicants than can be accommodated each year.
Chance is also a longtime supporter of Newman through sponsorship of the annual Laurie Bell Memorial Jet Open Charity Golf Tournament for many years, and contributions to the Beyond the Renaissance 2000 and Dugan Library and Campus Center capital campaigns. She and her husband also created a scholarship fund for the children of Chance Manufacturing employees. Newman University honored Chance for her dedication to the university and its Core Value of Academic Excellence by awarding her an honorary degree – the Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa – at the Spring 2011 commencement ceremony.
