Select graduates of Sumner-Eddyville-Miller High School may now be able to attend the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) with less financial stress, thanks to a new scholarship fund. Maurine Reier of Denver, Colo., recently gave $10,000 to the University of Nebraska Foundation to create the Charles and Maurine Reier Scholarship Fund, an endowed source to award annual scholarships to students in need of financial aid.
“I hope it will benefit students who really want to further their education but aren’t sure if they’ll be able to afford it,” said Maurine Reier. “It may be just the incentive they need to encourage them to go to college.” Originally from Nebraska, Charles and Maurine Reier attended Sumner High School and then farmed near Sumner for nearly 25 years until Charles Reier’s death in 1962. The Reiers have seven children; six are still living and graduated from Sumner High School. Four of their children, as well as a daughter-in-law, son-in-law and three grandchildren, attended Kearney State College.
Maurine Reier said she first considered the idea of setting up a scholarship fund at the suggestion of her son, Bob. “As soon as he mentioned it, I was delighted,” she said. “I’m just tickled that we’re doing this.”
Maurine Reier said her children quickly supported the idea, too, and plan to make their own contributions to the fund. The family agreed upon specifying UNK as the recipient school because they want to keep the scholarship aid close to their Nebraska roots.
UNK officials are delighted with the family’s choice as well. “The scholarship serves as a reminder of the Reiers’ generosity and their commitment to education, to their community, and to UNK,” said James Roark, vice chancellor of Academic Affairs at UNK. “Their generous gift will greatly benefit students from Sumner-Eddyville-Miller High School who attend UNK.”
The University of Nebraska Foundation is a non-profit corporation supplementing support for students, faculty, facilities and programs at the University of Nebraska’s four campuses through gifts from alumni, friends, corporations and other foundations.
