The Merle Stilwell Scholarship for Mathematics was established by Bob Strouse '70, and his gift was matched by the charitable foundation associated with his employer, Illinois Tool Works.
The scholarship will be awarded to Mathematics or Mathematics Education majors. Preference will be given to those who demonstrate involvement in community service and well-roundedness.
Strouse established the scholarship to honor Merle Stilwell, a longtime Mathematics Department faculty member who retired in 1990. Mr. Strouse explains: "Merle went out of his way to help me. No matter who you were, he took care of all the students. He really was the professor in the Math Department students could go to for help. I went from a very immature kid entering IUP to a very focused adult who launched a successful career."
Upon his graduation, Strouse became a mathematics teacher and then entered private industry. After retiring from Illinois Tool Works and settling in DuBois, he began helping students at DuBois Business College. He also is among a group of Boardwalk Bowl alumni leading the charge to develop a scholarship that supports the IUP football team members.
The Merle Stilwell Scholarship for Mathematics shall provide scholarship support to students enrolled at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Eligible candidates must meet the following criteria for scholarship consideration:
- Must be enrolled as a full-time student at Indiana University of Pennsylvania;
- Must be a Mathematics or Mathematics Education major;
- Must be in good academic standing with the university;
- Preference will be given to those who demonstrate involvement in community service activities and those who exhibit well-rounded attributes.