Current and former Jabara Scholarship recipients gather for announcement

It was a reunion of sorts for the current and former recipients of the Jabara Scholarship on Friday, March 13, at the Marcus Welcome Center. Nearly 40 people were welcomed by Elizabeth King, WSU Foundation president and CEO, to hear the announcement of the 2015 recipients, share lunch and memories.

Mark Torline, director of the WSU Center for Entrepreneurship, welcomed Jocelyn Galicia and Clayton Hicks as the two newest members of the Jabara Scholarship family. Galicia was unable to attend, but her mother and brother, Maria and Adam Galicia, were proud to accept the plaque on her behalf. Accompanying Hicks were his parents, Gayla and Gerald Hicks.

Torline shared with guests the history behind the scholarship, which was established in 1999 and named for Fran Jabara, a prominent Wichita entrepreneur who founded the center and is a former dean of the business school.

James Jordan-Wagner, dean of the W. Frank Barton School of Business, provided a college update.

A touching closure to the event was when former recipients were introduced and shared what they are doing today and how the scholarship impacted their lives during their academic career and after.

The scholarship awards each recipient $20,000 over four years. To qualify, a student must have a minimum ACT score of 24, a GPA of 3.5 or better and be a declared entrepreneurship major.

To view photos of the event, go to http://bit.ly/Jabara2015