Chicago Booth Alum Gifts $10M for Veteran MBA Scholarships
Military veterans seeking an MBA degree at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business will have a significant leg up, thanks to the $10 million gift from alumnus Eric Gleacher to fund a groundbreaking scholarship program for U.S. veterans.
The Gleacher Veteran Scholars Fund will provide a permanent source of scholarship support to help veterans bridge the gap between the benefits they have earned from the government and the remaining costs associated with receiving their MBA degrees from Booth.
The number of veteran students in Booth’s programs has increased substantially over the past several years, and currently, there are 78 veterans enrolled.
The Marines taught me a great deal about leadership, which is crucial to the success of every business. A Booth MBA can inspire veteran students as future business leaders, preparing them for successful careers as entrepreneurs and executives in major companies.
“It was a winning combination, and I want to make it possible for those who have served our country to have the same opportunity,” Gleacher said.
Booth has built a reputation for providing veteran support through participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program, a voluntary program that allows universities to enter into an agreement with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to fund tuition and fee expenses that exceed the established thresholds under the Post 9/11 GI Bill.
The Gleacher Veteran Scholars Fund will allow Booth to sustain and expand its financial support for veterans.
“Military veterans bring a great deal to the Chicago Booth community in terms of their experience, commitment to service, and maturity. I’m delighted we have significantly increased the number of veterans in our programs,” said Sunil Kumar, Booth Dean and George Pratt Shultz Professor of Operations Management.
“Eric’s gift will make pursuing an MBA at Booth significantly more affordable for many of these veterans, and thus will have a substantially positive impact on the Booth community as a whole.”
To learn more about Gleacher’s gift, please click here.
