Kathryn Burks Endowed Scholarship

SCHOLARSHIP BACKGROUND

Many Franklin College alumni have gone on to achieve great things, but few were able to give direct attention and encouragement to as many young people as Kathryn Burks. A member of the Class of 1958, Mrs. Burks worked to improve the lives of young people both in her career and at her alma mater. Mrs. Burks was a teacher, working first in Gary and then at Franklin Community High School. She was a Latin teacher at Broad Ripple High School for 18 years, the last four as chair of the foreign language department. She was secretary of the Indiana Foreign Language Teachers' Association for two years and was a member of the Indianapolis Association for Administration and Supervision for Curriculum and the Indianapolis Council of Black Educators. She was a nominee for Indiana Creative Latin Teacher of the Year in 1986. At Franklin College, Mrs. Burks was a member of the Board of Trustees from 1988 until her death in 1990. She was a member of the College's Minority Alumni Advisory Committee and was a guiding force to the students who formed SASOM (Student Association for the Support of Minorities). She was a president of the alumni association and the recipient of a posthumous Alumni Citation.

SCHOLARSHIP REQUIREMENTS

Following her death, the Kathryn Burks Endowed Scholarship was established by friends, family and colleagues. The award is given each year with first priority given to minority students from the Indianapolis area. Recipients of the award must rank in the top 10 percent of their high school class and receive a score of 1000 or higher on the SAT examination (25 or higher on the ACT). The financial aid office coordinates the selection of recipients.