The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay received a $1 million scholarship gift from alumnus Dr. Paul J. Schilling ’82, aimed at expanding access to STEM degrees for high-achieving students with financial need.
The newly established “Dr. Charles Ihrke Scholarship Fund” will support incoming undergraduate students pursuing STEM majors. Schilling created the scholarship to honor his former faculty advisor, Professor Emeritus Dr. Charles “Chuck” Ihrke, whose guidance helped shape his academic and professional journey. Ihrke, a founding faculty member in Human Biology at UW-Green Bay, was known for his unwavering dedication to students and was recognized with the university’s Founders Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1984.
This four-year renewable $5,000 scholarship offers financial support and stability.
The scholarship will be awarded to incoming full-time undergraduate students who meet the following criteria:
- Must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. national
- Must be majoring in a STEM discipline, including (but not limited to): human biology, biology, chemistry, environmental science, geoscience, water science, computer science, engineering, engineering technology, or mathematics and statistics
- Must have a minimum high school GPA of 3.3
For renewal (up to four years), recipients must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.3 at UW-Green Bay
Preference will be given to students with the greatest financial need, as determined by the Office of Financial Aid After financial need is assessed, scholarships will be awarded based on academic merit
“We are deeply grateful to Dr. Schilling for his generosity and vision,” said UW-Green Bay Chancellor Michael Alexander. “This scholarship honors a beloved professor and opens doors for students who will shape the future of science and technology.”