Doctor of Physical Therapy - Walsh University

Creating An EndowedScholarship CanChange a LifeIn July of 2003, Paul Sigmund createdan endowed scholarship fund atWalsh University to honor his late wifeMargaret’s lifelong love of learning.Jason Downey waited a year after highschool to start college, using that timeto work and save money to reach hisgoals. He was the first in his family topursue a college education.Jason was one of the first students tobenefit from Paul Sigmund’s generosity,receiving the renewable award fromthe Margaret Sigmund EndowedScholarship Fund for the last three years.Jason Downey graduated from WalshUniversity with a degree in educationon April 29, 2007, and will pursue hisMaster’s in Counseling in the fall.Paul Sigmund proudly shared in thecelebration of Jason’s success ongraduation day.To grow, a living being must change. The absence of changeleads to death. As a vibrant living being, Walsh has changedsignificantly over its nearly 50-year history, and this change hasbeen both external and substantial.The external changes are easy to spot. The public is no longer dealing withWalsh College, but Walsh University. The campus formerly housing twobuildings now has 19. The original student body of 67 students has grown tomore than 2500. And the original seven faculty and staff now numbers morethan 600. Typewriters have been replaced by laptops, chalkboards with smartboards and mimeographs by printers and copiers.The students of 1960 were courageous young men who enrolled in a Collegenot yet chartered, whose two buildings were still in the stage of construction.There was only one degree available, a B.A., with a rather inflexible course ofstudies built around a large core curriculum program charged with a heavydose of liberal arts subjects: philosophy, theology, languages, history andscience. The administration believed that such a program gave the mind a greatflexibility, enabling graduates to have the tools to face a multiplicity of careers.This seems to have been proven true because among our early graduates, wefind doctors, lawyers, developers, superintendents and business executives.From 1977 on, Walsh underwent drastic changes. Various degrees andprograms were added. A B.S. became available as well as nursing and graduatedegrees. The education department now offers a variety of specialties, notablyin elementary programs. Starting in September of this year, we will offer aClinical Doctorate in Physical Therapy degree, one of only two such programsnorth of Columbus. Walsh is also very proud of its Bioinformatics program, abeacon of advanced science study in northern Ohio.If you would like more information onhow to create a named scholarshipfund at Walsh University, please contactJacquie Batchelder, Gift PlanningDirector, at (330) 490-7109 or atjbatchelder@walsh.edu.In 1960, Walsh had no resident students, but beginning in Fall of 2007, over900 men and women will be living among the eight residence halls on campus.These facilities offer state-of-the-art conveniences such as Internet and cableaccess, exercise areas and even a movie theatre – quite attractive for prospectivestudents. And, with our diversity of religious backgrounds on campus, ofwhich 50% are Catholics, Walsh is continually working to enhance its Catholicidentity to reach our goal of becoming a university of distinction.You, alums, through your successful endeavors have made us proud and greatlycontributed to the reputation of Walsh as an academic stronghold. May youcontinue to grow in wisdom and holiness!Yours in Christ,Br. Robert A. Francoeur, FIC15