The Murray State University Foundation, Inc. announces the Schanbacher Character Scholarship Endowment

MURRAY, Ky. – The Schanbacher Character Scholarship Endowment was established by gifts to the Murray State University Foundation, Inc. (MSU Foundation) from Dr. Eugene & Mrs. Priscilla Schanbacher to recognize and reward young people who possess high moral character; to help develop and promote higher character and integrity in student’s lives; and to provide financial assistance to post-secondary students, who may not otherwise be able to attend college. Recipients of this scholarship can be either a full-time or part-time student at Murray State and preference shall be given to incoming freshmen students who are residents of Calloway County, Kentucky majoring in Manufacturing Engineering Technology, or a related field, who have demonstrated financial need.

Dr. & Mrs. Schanbacher donated $25,000 to endow this scholarship making it a permanent fund at the MSU Foundation. The money will be invested by the MSU Foundation Board of Trustees and the interest from the principal will be used each year to make awards generating approximately $1,000 per year toward a recipient. This amount will be split between the fall and spring semesters. Since Dr. & Mrs. Schanbacher wanted the scholarship to start being awarded for the 2023 – 2024 academic year, an additional $1,000 was donated to be used for that purpose.

Students pursuing majors in other fields of study, not only in Manufacturing Engineering Technology, or students from other locations may also be eligible to receive this scholarship. Applicants must provide a written description of activities and community involvement demonstrating high character and integrity, initiative, perseverance, honesty, fairness, kindness, empathy for others, a healthy lifestyle and a positive attitude. Applicants must also provide a written recommendation from a non-family member that demonstrates the applicant’s qualifications previously listed.

Dr. Schanbacher spent his early life on a farm and ranch in rural Oklahoma. He attended a one-room school for grades 1st-3rd and then attended Lambert High School before going to college. In 1953 he entered the United States Air Force, served as a pilot, and was later selected as one of the veterans to participate in the Bluegrass Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. in 2018.

He earned a bachelor's degree from Northwestern Oklahoma State University, a master’s degree from Northern Colorado State University, a doctorate from the University of Missouri and completed postdoctoral work at several other institutions. He taught in the Public-School Systems of Wichita, Kansas and University City, Missouri, in the College of Engineering at the University of Missouri and at Haile Selassie University in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

In 1961 he began his thirty-three-year tenure at Murray State University where he designed and taught both laboratory and professional classes, primarily in Engineering and Architectural Design. He obtained a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant for computer graphics equipment and established the first Computer Graphics program on the Murray State campus. He served on the NSF Grant Selection Committee, was a consultant for both schools and industry, and presented international seminars in Costa Rica.

In his later years at Murray State, most of his effort was spent developing, teaching and promoting Computer Aided Design (CAD), and he initiated and sponsored the student CAD organization.

Dr. Schanbacher belonged to several honorary and professional organizations, was a faculty senator and was selected by his peers for the Excellence in Teaching Award in 1986. He actively served on numerous committees at Murray State, the Murray Rotary Club and the First United Methodist Church in Murray. He also participated in several mission trips with the church. 

Mrs. Schanbacher attended Oklahoma College for Women, Northwestern Oklahoma State University and Murray State University. She has been a homemaker for most of her adult life. Mrs. Schanbacher and Dr. Schanbacher adopted Murray, Kentucky as their home, where they raised two children, Greg and Lori, who each attended Murray State University, with Lori earning both a bachelor’s and master’s degree.

The Murray State Scholarship Office recently selected the first recipient of the Schanbacher Character Scholarship, Rebecca Grosz of Murray, Kentucky. Grosz will be graduating from Calloway County High School in May 2023 and plans to major in Manufacturing Engineering Technology at Murray State starting in the fall semester. 

“The Schanbacher Character Scholarship Endowment is a wonderful opportunity that will help me achieve my Bachelor of Science in Engineering,” said Grosz. “I am very excited to be attending Murray State University in the fall! Go Racers!”

The next application for the scholarship will open in the fall 2023 semester. 

The Murray State Scholarship Office recently selected the first recipient of the Schanbacher Character Scholarship

For more information on how to apply for the scholarship or any other scholarship at Murray State University please call the Scholarship Office at 270-809-3225 or 800-272-4678, or contact the office by email at msu.scholarships@murraystate.edu.

Those interested in making a gift to the Schanbacher Character Scholarship please call Jennie Rottinghaus, director of development, at 270-809-3406 or 877-282-0033.