Dear fellow ASU parent,
I have to ask: have you felt it?
With the recent unveiling of the Challenges Project at ASU (ASUchallenges.com), the excitement on the ASU campuses is palpable. My pride in my son’s education only continues to grow. Our students are being educated at a progressive university that is challenging the status quo. Along with providing a high-quality education to all Sun Devil students, ASU is teaching our students to think independently, take risks and participate in solving today’s toughest challenges.
Admittedly, sometimes those challenges hit closer to home, like understanding a particular physics concept or staying safe at night. This is where the ASU Parents Association comes in. Since you contributed to the ASU Parents Fund last year, thousands of students have accessed Learning Support Services for free tutoring and called the Safety Escort Service in the evening hours — both services supported, in part, by this fund.
My son, Jerret ’10, is hearing impaired and traveled 2,000 miles away from home to attend ASU. Learning Support Services was a lifesaver for him and has been a real contributor to his success. I’m proud to say that he will graduate with a double major in economics and sustainability and a certificate in international business. No other school could offer this kind of accessibility and diversity to him.
Speaking of accessibility, the Parents Association awarded $160,000 in student scholarships last year to 40 in- and out-of-state students. I have the honor of serving on the selection committee and, I must say, it is a daunting task to choose who receives these scholarships. Especially at this time, there are more and more students —
many of them upperclassmen on the brink of graduating — who need financial help.
That’s why the ASU Parents Association board set a goal of raising an additional $100,000 this year to fund 25 more student scholarships. That number was chosen to honor the Parents Association’s 25th anniversary of serving ASU students and their families.
Will you join us in this endeavor?
Please consider giving to the ASU Parents Fund. A gift of $250 can be pledged and paid over time and will help ASU students achieve their greatest ambitions. However, gifts of $100, $50 or any amount make a difference. Also please consider including a special contribution to the anniversary scholarship fund in honor of 25 years of student support.
Warm regards,
Marna Smeltzer
Parent of Jarret ‘10
ASU Parents Association Board Member
