Last December, Milroy “Roy” Alexander (’74, accounting) was
attending a board meeting, as he had done countless times before.
But this one was different. After 22 years with the Colorado
Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA), an agency that loans money to homebuyers
and businesses, Alexander was about to retire as executive director.
Unbeknownst to him, board members had been working with
Metro State’s Development Office to honor him and his contribution to CHFA by
establishing the Milroy A. Alexander/CHFA Endowed Scholarship—a $50,000
endowment that will provide three scholarships per year on an ongoing basis.
“I was speechless when the board announced it,” Alexander
says. “Obviously someone on the board, working with key members of my staff,
knew of my connection with Metro and how I’ve felt about the College all these
years. For them to take that and run with it and see that opportunity to show
their appreciation to me was extremely humbling.”
Alexander’s entire senior team knew his high regard for
Metro State. He has served on the alumni board, contributed financially, and
involved CHFA as a community partner in the Alumni Association’s Apprentice
Challenge. When President Stephen Jordan came on board, he called on Alexander
to help him evaluate candidates for his administration.
Two of Alexander’s siblings have graduated from the College and his son is a
current student.
CHFA’s board funded the endowment but waited for Alexander’s
input on the specifics, now worked out. Scholarship candidates must have a
minimum 3.5 grade point average, demonstrated financial need, a track record of
community volunteerism, and be studying public administration or public
affairs. Alexander will be on the application review team.
Although endowed scholarships can take up to a year to get
rolling, the CHFA board arranged for the first award to be made this semester.
“The timing couldn’t be better in terms of our students,”
said Jaime Livaditis, associate director of development. “Everyone’s under
financial hardship right now, it seems, and at the College we’ve seen requests
for financial aid go up significantly.”
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