Robert L. Decker and Benjamin Muns Friendship Memorial Scholarship Endowment

The Robert L. Decker and Benjamin Muns Friendship Memorial Scholarship is awarded in memory and recognition of two Ford Motor Company executives who worked together and, as friends, died together in a small airplane crash in June, 1990. The two men were committed to increasing the productivity of the workforce while enriching the quality of the workplace environment. This scholarship was created through an endowment offered by the wives of Robert and Benjamin to facilitate the continuance for the zest for life, concern for others, and ideals and goals held by the two. It provides graduate study opportunities and recognizes potential contributions of graduate students with disabilities.

The Robert L. Decker and Benjamin Muns Friendship Memorial Scholarship is awarded in the spring to a qualified student with a disability enrolled in a graduate degree program at Michigan State University for the following fall, spring or summer semester. Winners are selected by review of applicant achievement in a variety of areas including: academics, quality of references, clear definition of goals, pre-professional achievements including demonstrated leadership ability, demonstrated financial need, and quality and coherence of written essays. Recipients are encouraged to recognize this program as an investment in ability and are in turn challenged to invest in others by contributing as a donor to this program as they achieve success in a professional career. Award size is based on endowment performance and total number of recipients each year.

Award
Varies - typically $5000-$8000
Deadline
01/31/2025
Supplemental Questions
  1. During Fall semester of the next academic year, my level in graduate school will be: (Please note: If you are not considered a graduate student during fall semester of the next academic year, you are ineligible for this scholarship)
  2. Relative to your registration at the RCPD, which of the following conditions do you experience?
  3. Who is your RCPD specialist?
  4. What is your expected completion date of your major/area of study?
  5. Describe your disability and how it impacts you.
  6. Describe how your academic studies will prepare you for your career and personal goals.
  7. Describe up to three of your most purposeful community, volunteer, or pre-professional experiences and explain their significance to you.
  8. If you are awarded this scholarship, explain how you plan to use it.
  9. Please provide contact information for a reference letter from a faculty member, academic advisor or other individual familiar with your abilities and goals in your field of interest. When you submit your application they will receive an email from this portal with a link to submit the reference letter, so please advise them to watch for the notification.
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