President Ross, wife Elizabeth give $1 million for scholarships
Money will aid students studying accounting, vocal music and medicine
President George Ross and his wife Elizabeth watch the big screen during a break in the action, Feb. 18 in McGuirk Arena.
Central Michigan University President George Ross and his wife, Elizabeth, have donated $1 million that will endow three scholarships benefitting students in vocal music, accounting and the College of Medicine.
This is the second time since December 2016 that President Ross has made a donation to CMU. President Ross received an $11,500 salary increase from the CMU Board of Trustees, but donated to a School of Music scholarship in his wife’s name.
One of 12 children, Ross attended Flint Northern High School, according to a CMU News release distributed Sept. 7. He credited his high school math teacher, Miriam Schaefer, for persuading him to stay in school and graduate. He said this gift allows him and Elizabeth to give back to students.
“Education is transformational,” Ross stated in the press release. “It changed my life. Helping students earn their degree is our way of giving back — to CMU, to the students who make us proud every day and to Mrs. Schaefer.”
Ross was appointed CMU's vice president for finance and administrative services in 2002. After serving as president of Alcorn State University, he returned to CMU in 2010.
In 2015, Ross decided to stay at CMU despite being named a finalist to be president of the University of Nebraska.
President Ross was an accounting major in college, according to the release. Elizabeth received a business education degree and has a passion for vocal music, singing during community events and in church.
“For almost 12 years total, Mount Pleasant has been home for us. We’re truly blessed by the opportunities we’ve had, and we want to give back to students,” Elizabeth Ross stated in the release. “When Dr. Ross was asked to come back to CMU as president, it was the highest honor we could imagine.
