The Oak Park and River Forest High School Scholarship Foundation is set to receive what would be the second-largest donation in the foundation’s history. Don Vogel, the foundation’s president, said the money comes from the estate of Michael Campbell, a former OPRF English teacher who died in March.
Vogel said the money is still in the process of being liquidated, but a letter his organization received from Campbell’s estate indicates the donation could be upwards of $175,000. The gift would increase the foundation’s endowment to somewhere around $1.5 million, Vogel said.
“Normally, this kind of gift goes into our endowment and we only spend the annual interest we earn on it. We don’t invade the principal,” Vogel said. “So a gift of this kind will create about $6,000 to $9,000 per year in scholarship money, depending on what the final gift amount is.”
Established in 1924, the foundation is among the oldest college scholarship foundations in the nation. Vogel said OPRF’s foundation is also rare in that it’s one of the few in the nation that provides money exclusively for college scholarships, as opposed to other purposes, such as facilities or uniforms.
The foundation doles out about 100 scholarships a year — roughly 60 of which are directly provided through the foundation’s endowment and the rest through various community organizations that collaborate with the foundation in providing funds.
The specific amounts of the scholarships vary, but the minimum amount of each is $1,000. Last year, the foundation awarded more than $55,000 to 51 graduating OPRF seniors, according to its web page.
“There are different scholarships. There might be a history scholarship for students who have done well in history,” Vogel said. “Others are based on financial need. Another one may be for women in math. We added a new one last year for women in science.”
He noted that about half of the 60 scholarships that are given directly from the foundation are based on financial need, while the other half are based on areas of study. Vogel said the foundation receives about $60,000 and $100,000 in total donations each year.
Vogel said the Campbell donation only requires that the money go to a scholarship in Michael Campbell’s name. The foundation will discuss the precise form of the scholarship, such as the amount and the criteria candidates must meet to receive the money, at its upcoming board meeting later this month.
Vogel also noted that the Campbell scholarship, whatever form it takes, should prompt a discussion about perhaps increasing the amounts of the scholarships in response to rising costs.
“It prompts us to look at all of our scholarships, because we realize with the cost of college increasing, we haven’t really increased our scholarships in terms of value over the last several years,” he said, adding that the foundation is considering creating scholarships with larger monetary values.
Michael Campbell taught at OPRF for nearly 25 years. His wife Joan died in 2012. On the guest book of the Dunlap Memorial Home, a funeral home in Campbell’s home state of Wisconsin, Oak Park community members, OPRF alumni and parents of students Campbell taught wrote their condolences.
“Mr. Campbell was my dean as a high school student,” wrote Claire Beckett. “I always had the feeling that Mr. Campbell was looking out for me and had my best interest at heart. He was a very kind person and he really made a difference in my high school experience.”
CONTACT: michael@oakpark.com